


This Life to the Next

by blondeeoneexox, SmoakingGreenArrow



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, League of Assassins - Freeform, Oliver as Al Sah-him
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:48:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 42,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27252934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blondeeoneexox/pseuds/blondeeoneexox, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmoakingGreenArrow/pseuds/SmoakingGreenArrow
Summary: Hiking deep in the Hindu Kush mountains with her fiance, Felicity Smoak stumbles upon a small village and a young woman, whose palm reading abilities throw her for a loop. Felicity doesn’t expect this woman’s words to have an everlasting effect on her. Later that evening, with a buzzing sound ringing in her ears, she follows a path to a waterfall that transports her life back 100 years to a man who throws her world completely off track.Surrounded by men in long black cloaks, and masks covering their faces, Felicity fights the overwhelming urge to run. Instead she is met with crystal clear blue eyes that ground her in a way she didn’t quite understand. An instant chemistry forms, along with an abundance of questions. Who is this man? Where is she? Why is she here? And most importantly, how will she make it back to Ray?Or more importantly, will she want to?An Olicity Outlander AU
Relationships: Nyssa al Ghul/Oliver Queen, Nyssa al Ghul/Sara Lance, Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak, Ray Palmer/Felicity Smoak
Comments: 367
Kudos: 324





	1. The Waterfall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY GUYS!
> 
> We are so beyond thrilled to FINALLY be sharing this story with you. With our mutual love for Outlander and Olicity, we figured it would only be fitting for us to combine the two together and co-write it! Neither of us have ever co-written before, but we honestly would have never done it with anyone else. :)
> 
> Now before we get started, we just want to clarify that yes, this is an Outlander AU, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll need to have watched it in order to understand our story. Please don't let that deter you from reading! We promise it's the same Olicity that you all know and love, and let's be honest - if you have even the slightest appreciation for Al Sah-him, we promise that you'll enjoy this story! ;) That being said, if you DO watch the show, you'll definitely see some similarities (and a few changes)! ;)
> 
> We plan on posting every other Wednesday - we have a few chapters already written (if you know us, you know that's definitely a feat! Haha!) and plan on continuing to write as we have been. Hopefully we can get a bit ahead and start posting weekly! This chapter was written by both of us - a definite labor of love as most fics are, especially first chapters! 
> 
> We truly cannot wait to see what you guys think about this fic - it's something that we are incredibly proud of. There is A LOT more in store for you after this! Thank you guys so much for all the support and love that we've gotten for this story already! It means the world to us. ♥️ 
> 
> XOXO - Caitlin and Ellie

INCREDIBLE gif by olida_magda! 

* * *

Hiking. 

_Bleh._

It was _not_ something Felicity enjoyed. Overexerting herself to climb up the Hindu Kush mountains that were overgrown with weeds and branches and trees? Not to mention the amount of bugs she had to endure? And let’s not forget the snakes and other creepy crawly things she’d seen. 

No thank you. 

But she did it anyway. She did it for her fiancé, Ray.

It had been about a week since Ray had asked her to marry him. They were on vacation in Asia, a little get away from the real world and their demanding jobs. Running a multimillion dollar company would be a lot for anyone, but when they had two companies to think about? Time just got away from them. Felicity was the CEO of Smoak Tech, while Ray ran Palmer Tech. Being a couple and having competing companies hadn’t exactly been the easiest thing to navigate, so their engagement felt like an accomplishment in more ways than one.

Ray and Felicity were very similar individuals. Both of their IQs were around 170, so stimulating conversation had never been an issue. It helped that Ray looked like a fracking Disney prince, though. It truly was unfair. She always thought he reminded her of Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid when she looked at him. He was kind, courteous, sweet, and a bit of a dork just like her. He had the kindest heart and knew exactly what to say when she needed career advice. He was great. 

They had been together for quite some time; two years to be exact. Everything about them made sense. Their lives just seemed to fit, like a puzzle coming together one piece at a time, one day at a time. And marriage seemed like the natural next step.

But even as she’d said yes, Felicity couldn’t help herself from wondering if she only agreed because she didn’t see any reason to say no.

When Ray had first proposed this little preemptive honeymoon, she’d jumped at the idea. Her brain and her heart had been so tied up in doubts that it was starting to cloud her judgement. She needed this time with him. They needed to get away. Clear their heads and get ready for the next chapter of their lives.

The distraction worked for a little while. The first few days had been nice. Exactly what she’d been hoping for. But then the questions started to circle in her mind again.

It’s why during this hike, she had remained silent most of the way. Did she even _want_ to get married? She always thought she did...so why was she suddenly doubting it now? Now that it was real? Did she truly feel like she could spend the rest of her life with Ray Palmer? Or was she simply settling for a life of comfort and stability? Was she selling herself short? And the most alarming question of all; was it normal to feel this way, to have thoughts like that, when your boyfriend just asked you to marry him? Wasn’t this kind of panic usually reserved for the day of the wedding? Brides getting cold feet? Yet they hadn’t even set a date, and she was already freaking out a little bit.

Shaking herself out of her myriad of thoughts, Felicity stopped as she reached a clearing on the trail, catching her breath. She glanced out at the view, noticing a village in the valley below. She could tell it was small, not too many people wandering about. She turned her head toward Ray, pointing out the village.

“Would you like to stop, or keep going?”

Days. They’d been at this for days. And for a girl who mostly appreciated the outdoors through a picturesque window or an occasional weekend getaway to the vineyard, she had no idea why her fiancé thought an intense hike in the mountains was something that she would enjoy.

Ray gave her a small smile and nodded, “We can stop and see what they have to offer. It’d be nice to take a break for a while too.” 

Felicity nodded in agreement, making her way down the trail. When they reached the bottom, she was pleased to notice a few storefronts, along with a tiny restaurant; just three tables sitting outside. There were people roaming about, a couple chatting with one another. Ray and Felicity entered the village, catching a handful of eyes, sticking out a bit with their backpacks and sweaty faces. They smiled at the strangers, nodding as they walked along. 

She felt a hand brush her arm, turning to see Ray gesturing to the other side of the village. “I’m going to go see if I can find some water. Will you be okay here?” 

Felicity nodded, shooting him a small smile and already eyeing the stores down the street. He kissed her cheek and headed off the other way. 

Sighing, she turned back towards the shops, meandering towards them. She could see many handmade paintings, knick knacks, herbs, and homemade goodies. Carefully walking through, Felicity took her time, appreciating the craftsmanship and beauty of everything in front of her that was nothing like the things she could buy in Starling. Letting her shopping instincts take over, she perused the windows and vendors, her eyes bouncing everywhere until she found herself moving to a painting that was on display in one of the storefronts. 

The beautiful colors captured her eye, with deep blues and grey hues. The painting was of a cabin on top of a hill. It was small, with a rustic look. The door was painted red, standing out against the beautiful night sky. There was something about this painting that made her pause. A strange sense of déjà vu, as if she’d seen it before. Felicity wracked her memory, wondering if it was something she and Ray had passed. But she was certain that she would have remembered a cabin, considering the fact that their hotel was the last form of civilization she saw before they’d stumbled across this village.

“Beautiful painting, wouldn’t you say?” a soft voice tore her away from her thoughts. She turned, meeting the beautiful brown eyes of a Japanese woman. 

“Yes, it’s stunning.” Felicity replied, glancing from the canvas to the stranger. “This cabin looks so familiar. Is it in the area?” she asked, curious. 

The woman nodded, pointing toward the direction Ray had gone. “Yes, it’s a few miles east of this village.”

Felicity nodded, turning back to the painting. “I see. So this place...” she paused, gazing at the cabin, trying to figure out why she recognized it, “I don’t know, I suppose it must remind me of somewhere else I’ve seen before.” 

The woman studied her curiously, as if she was trying to figure out if Felicity was crazy or not. “It feels familiar?” At the question, Felicity just smiled, lifting her shoulder as she continued to gaze at the brush strokes. “Would you like your palm read?” 

Felicity eyed the woman, taken aback by the offer. “I’m sorry...what is your name?”

“Tatsu.”

“Felicity,” she smiled back, glancing over her shoulder to see if Ray would swoop in to save her. Was it rude to decline a palm reading?

She had never done it, never really been interested in having it done. But if the woman was offering...and with all her doubts about Ray piling up in her mind… “Sure,” Felicity sighed, “why not?”

She nodded her head as the woman guided her away from the store and towards a bench under a beautiful flowered tree. Tatsu sat down, patting the seat next to her. She smiled softly, taking Felicity’s hand after she took a seat beside her. 

Tatsu smiled before casting her eyes down at Felicity’s hands. She flipped them over, so her palms were facing up. Tracing her fingers up and down the lines of Felicity’s hands, she never paused, studying them. 

“Most hands tell a story. There are patterns; decisions and experiences and hardships,”

“You can see all of that on my palm?” Felicity joked.

“Actually, I’ve never seen this pattern before...” Tatsu looked up at Felicity curiously, her eyebrows furrowing. 

Felicity returned the look automatically, trying to peek at her own hands. “What does that mean?” she asked, not quite sure where this was going.

Tatsu grazed her thumb, “Your fingers tell me that you are strong minded and stubborn.” 

Felicity snorted quietly, knowing that she was absolutely correct about that. 

Then the woman gestured to the curved line at the center of her palm, running her finger across it, the soft touch making Felicity shiver. “This is the life line.”

She watched as Tatsu’s brow furrowed further, almost like she didn’t quite know what she was looking at. 

Taking a deep breath, Tatsu glanced up at her before speaking. “Most lines are broken. Our lives change course, we backtrack, we repeat the same mistakes in different variations. But the life line is constant. Everyone has one. Think of it as the path you’re meant to take. Fate. When we are born, how we die...who we fall in love with. If all of these lines are your choices, possibilities of futures you may live, then this line represents the things that cannot change. Beginning and end. And yet, yours...yours is...forked.” 

Felicity’s eyes popped at that statement. 

Forked? What does that mean? 

“Are you in love, Felicity?”

Laughing nervously, she turned her hand over, answering the question by showing the woman her engagement ring. 

Tatsu tilted her head to the side, a thoughtful look on her face. She leaned in closer, keeping her warm eyes on hers. “You love him...but it is okay to be conflicted.”

 _What?_

Before she could ask Tatsu what she meant, the man in question popped back up at her side. 

“Are you getting your palm read, sweetie? Cool!” he said excitedly. He glanced at Tatsu and smiled. “Would you mind doing mine too?”

Tatsu stood, smiling. “I can't, unfortunately. I apologize. My son is waiting at home for me.” she paused, turning her gaze to Felicity. “It was very nice to meet you, Felicity. Good luck to you.” 

Felicity smiled, standing with her, gently taking her hand. “Thank you, Tatsu. It was lovely to meet you.” 

The young woman nodded, turning back the way they’d come. 

Something about their conversation didn’t sit right with Felicity. She couldn’t make sense of most of the woman’s reading, but one thing seemed obvious. 

It had done nothing to ease her mind about her upcoming wedding. Quite the opposite, actually.

“You ready to keep going?” Ray’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Felicity turned back to him and grabbed her backpack. Slinging it over her shoulders, she smiled. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” 

* * *

Three hours and too many bug bites after leaving the village, Felicity was gazing out onto the beautiful sunset on the edge of the mountain while Ray set up a tent for them to sleep in for the night. 

The darker it got, the more she regretted her decision to come on this hike. Because hiking had turned into camping, which wasn’t part of the original deal. But once Ray started negotiating, promising that it would be fun, she had eventually agreed to it. As her fiancé had pointed out though, there was no point in taking the trip to Asia if she wasn’t open to new adventures.

She wasn’t quite sold on the _adventure_ of it all, but it was definitely new.

A long day of walking, sweating, and overthinking.

It was hard to forget what Tatsu had described to her. And it was even harder to pretend that it wasn’t bothering her. 

Luckily, Ray in the wilderness was much like a golden retriever with his favorite toy, so he was too distracted to notice that Felicity had grown quiet after they left the village. He spent most of the day walking with a skip in his step, excited to be out of the city and humming as he led them through the trails.

As they set up camp, Felicity continued to mull over Tatsu’s words. Her forked lifeline. The knowing smile the woman had given her.

_Are you in love, Felicity?_

The question was familiar. It was something her mother had asked her after she met Ray for the first time. They’d been dating for almost a year before that happened, neither of them able to find the time for a weekend visit in Vegas. By that point, Felicity had known that she loved Ray, and she had laughed when her mother questioned it.

_Yes, mom. Of course I love him._

_That’s not what I asked, baby. Are you_ in _love with him?_

At the time, Felicity had rolled her eyes. She hadn’t really seen the difference. Yet, after everything Tatsu said, she couldn’t help but wonder if she understood it now. Maybe Ray was one but not the other. A person that she loved but not a person that she was _in_ love with.

Shaking her head, she glanced from the view to her fiancé, watching as he struggled with the tent poles. Couldn’t this have been something she figured out before she agreed to marry him?

Well...maybe if she’d taken her mother a bit more seriously, she wouldn’t be in this position now.

Oh...wouldn’t Donna love to hear her saying _that._

Felicity had never really looked for love. She threw herself into school, work, and of course computers. Ever since she was a child, she had loved working with computers. Building them, tinkering with different parts, learning about every inch of them. She decided early on that she wanted her own company. To build it from the ground up, just as she had her computers. Her high school years were spent studying, gaining more knowledge on every subject possible. 

Graduating at the top of her high school class when she was sixteen, she entered MIT, bulldozing through all her college courses. It’s there she met Cooper, who she thought she was in love with at the time.

And she used that heartbreak to finish school, while hatching dreams about Smoak Tech, at nineteen. It only took a couple of years after graduating for Smoak Tech to begin to flourish.

She told herself the same things over and over, still too hurt by Cooper’s betrayal to think about dating. She didn’t have time for a man. She was too busy for love. She was happy with her career and a relationship wasn’t something that she needed out of life. Not then. She always hoped that the time would come someday, whenever she was ready. So she didn’t care enough to try to force it.

Until she met Ray. 

And everything had felt right. The timing was right. Ray seemed like the right person; a better fit for her and her lifestyle than she ever could have dreamed.

They met at a charity gala back in Starling. It was Felicity’s first, and she felt like a fish out of water. Ray had seen her floundering with one of the potential investors and saved her. He spent the rest of the evening with her, flashing that charming, boyish grin at her. 

That night was the first night Felicity had even considered romance since Cooper. When he asked her out for coffee the next morning, she’d said yes out of appreciation and admiration. That turned into a few lunch dates, and sooner rather than later, they found themselves spending hours together, never seeming to find enough to talk about. It felt refreshing to flirt, to have someone who understood the stress levels that came with being a CEO of a growing company. 

Two years later and her they were engaged, planning a future together.

His proposal had come as a surprise to her. But she’d never had any doubts about their relationship. Not until one week ago when she suddenly had a ring on her finger and couldn’t deny that her first response was not excitement, but uncertainty. 

Now, there were so many doubts.

She shook her head, trying to clear them from her mind. Whether she wanted to marry Ray or not, she knew she wouldn’t say anything to him until she could answer the question herself. It was how she functioned; thinking before speaking, careful consideration before making big decisions. It was just another thing that she and Ray had in common, something he had always appreciated in how they worked and spoke to each other. No need to change that now.

Felicity turned back towards the campsite, satisfied enough for now, to at least sleep on everything. Ray was sitting by the fire, the tent finished behind him. She smiled, walking over to him. He smiled back, watching her approach. 

“You okay, sweetie?” he scooted over, making room for her to take a seat beside him on the blanket he’d laid out. 

Felicity sighed, taking his hand as she crossed her legs. “I’m fine,” she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. “Just tired. Aren’t you tired? Today was tiring.” she chuckled, rubbing her cheek along his arm. “Hiking is exhausting.” 

Ray let out a snort, “Yes, we both know hiking isn’t your favorite thing in the world.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders giving her a more comfortable position to lean. 

“Listen. You know that I do _not_ get along with bugs and sweat.” She let out a deep breath, closing her eyes and pretending that she was sitting in front of a fire in a nice lodge rather than the top of a mountain. “I am not the type of person that likes camping either. It’s gross, and hot, and I swear to god, if I see one more snake on this trip I think I may lose it. Or you know, die, because snakes _bite_ and it's dark and I can’t see anything that isn’t six feet in front of me.” Felicity frowned, keeping her eyes closed as she decided she might as well get all of her complaints out at once. “And while we’re at it, why don’t they install some fracking lights along this path? I mean, I know it’s the wilderness and all, but what if someone gets hurt? I mean, I don’t want any surprises tonight. You know like bears, or tigers, or monkeys! Is there a lot of wildlife up here? I should have done my research before agreeing to do this whole camping idea of yours. It would have been useful to have this information since you know, dying by bear attack is definitely _not_ how I want to go. Oh my god! And the cockroaches? You know I have a thing against cockroaches. Snakes and spiders too, but especially cockroaches. Can you imagine—” 

“Whoa, okay,” Ray finally cut her off. “Please breathe, Felicity. I promise you there aren’t any tigers, bears, or monkeys. I can’t promise anything about the cockroaches though...” he chuckled, looking down as she made a groaning sound. He kissed her forehead, “I promise this is the last night you will have to spend in the wilderness. We’ll head back tomorrow afternoon after we spend a little time at the top.” 

Felicity sighed, lifting her head to look at him. “Fine. I do want to see the top. I’m sure the view is absolutely stunning. And it’ll be worth all the walking, sweating, and camping.” 

“It will be. I promise, you’re going to love it.” 

Felicity yawned, letting go of his hand and stretching. “I think I’ll take that as a sign that I need to go to sleep. Are you coming to bed?”

Ray smiled, helping her to her feet. “I’ll just put the fire out and be right in.”

Nodding, Felicity kissed the top of his head as she passed, her fatigued feet dragging in the grass as she made her way to the tent. Once inside, she stripped off her clothes, curling up in her sleeping bag and letting the insulated fleece keep her warm.

Exhaustion hit her even harder as soon as soon as she put her head down on the pillow, finding it easier to relax when her body was begging her mind to let it rest.

Felicity blinked as she looked up at the stars, a wide window on the top of the tent that provided the perfect view to fall asleep to. She could hear Ray just outside, making her feel safe, and crickets chirping, like they were speaking calmly to one another, and the faint sound of a river in the distance. 

It was a nice way to drift to sleep. And her eyes were closed before Ray had even made it back into the tent.

Maybe camping wasn’t so bad.

* * *

Something woke her up.

A buzzing in her ear that sounded more machine than nature.

That’s all Felicity heard as she slowly opened her eyes. She rubbed them, looking around the tent for the source of the noise.

Ray lay next to her, sound asleep and completely unaware of the annoying sound. She was tempted to wake him, but decided against it. Lifting herself up, she crawled out of her sleeping bag and pulled her t-shirt and shorts on. Then she slid over to the door and unzipped the tent, just slightly. 

The buzzing was louder outside, like the steady hum of an old computer.

Wait. That wasn’t possible. Felicity’s mind caught up to her surroundings, trying to make sense of the sound in the context of her environment.

Bees? Could there be a swarm of them somewhere close by that could be making a sound like that? Not that she was an expert on wildlife in this mountain range, or any mountain range, but she wasn’t sure what else to make of the sound. And with her luck, there would be even more unwanted insects around. 

Rolling her eyes at herself, Felicity looked around cautiously for any sign of insect or animal; bees or bears, she wanted to make damn sure none were out there. Not seeing anything in the darkness, she slipped out of the tent carefully, still unable to shake the unsettled feeling that the buzzing caused. She moved to the edge of the campsite and stopped, listening. The buzzing seemed to be getting louder.

She shook her head, a pitiful attempt to get rid of the noise. “I have to be losing it,” Felicity muttered to herself, rubbing her temples to see if that would help.

Curiously, she stepped into the treeline, following the sound as best she could. Although it was hard, since it seemed to be coming from everywhere. She walked a few yards away from the tent, glancing over her shoulder with every other step to make sure that she could still see it behind her.

“How…” Felicity mumbled, noticing that the buzzing was getting louder the further she got from the campsite. 

There were two choices here. Turn around and go wake Ray up, which was obviously the reasonable option. Or find out where the sound was coming from herself. 

As she looked around, Felicity stood perfectly still, the feel of her bare feet in the grass somehow calming her. 

Something strange took over.

The buzzing didn’t sound like a swarm of bees anymore. She could feel it vibrating through the ground below her, a gentle hum. 

When she really stopped to listen...it sounded like it was trying to tell her something. Calling to her.

And that...was probably the craziest thought she’d ever had. Which was saying a lot.

Carefully, Felicity made her way through the trees, thinking it couldn’t get much crazier than this. She let her feet take over, leading her. Her eyes still hadn’t completely adjusted to the darkness, and she was really regretting not grabbing her shoes or a flashlight before searching for the source of the sound. 

Touching the trees as she went, Felicity tried to remember each turn she made so she could find her way back to the campsite eventually. The buzzing continued to get louder, as if it was encouraging her, telling her that she was getting closer. She was absolutely positive that she would have ten thousand bug bites all over her body once this was over, but the buzzing sound seemed to continue to push her forward. 

After about twenty minutes, listening to the buzzing noise increase with every step she took, she came to a clearing. The sun was rising slowly, so thankfully there was a bit more light for her to see. The trees were tall, reaching up to a rocky cliff that sat above a tiny cove. 

What really caught her attention though, was the captivating waterfall that cascaded down through the other side of the rocks. The buzzing was louder than it’d been so far, and she couldn’t keep her eyes off of the water. She’d never seen anything like it, certain that the water must have been what woke her up.

And it was beautiful; crystal blue and shining bright, even at dawn.

Before she knew it, Felicity was discarding her shorts, leaving the t-shirt on since she had nothing else. Not even shoes.

It still didn’t occur to her that she’d just walked at least a mile, barefoot. She didn’t consider the fact that she was absolutely lost, without any clue of how to get back to the tent. She was so enchanted with the water, with each step she took into it, that she didn’t even notice the buzzing had stopped as soon as she put her foot in.

Felicity waded in, enjoying the warmth that surrounded her body. She kept her head above the water, walking in the direction of the waterfall until it got too deep, and she had to swim towards it.

She stared up at the water, her mind completely blank. 

It felt incredible. Peaceful. As if she was the only person on earth.

Felicity closed her eyes, finally ducking her head under the water. She swam forward, moving beneath the waterfall to see what was behind it. She opened her eyes, glancing around and surprised at how much she was able to see. The edges of the rocks at her sides, the waterfall above. 

And best of all, it was quiet.

Treading water, she continued to take in her surroundings, appreciating the seclusion. From the noise. From her own worries. From everything.

It seemed like she was under the water for a very long time.

So long, that it wasn’t until she realized she hadn’t taken a breath that she finally panicked. Felicity pushed upward, kicking her feet wildly, bewildered and terrified at how far she’d sunk from the surface without even realizing.

As her head finally came up from the water, she gasped for air, sucking in shallow breaths. And it all hit her at once; the fact that the buzzing noise had suddenly stopped when she got in the water, the fact that she’d wandered so far from the campsite and from Ray, the fact that she’d somehow managed to almost drown by forgetting that she couldn’t breathe under water.

And worst of all, it was different.

Before Felicity even opened her eyes, she could sense that she wasn’t where she should be.

Not only was the buzzing sound gone, but she couldn’t hear the waterfall either.

There was nothing but silence.

_Dead silence._

Felicity opened her eyes slowly. The room she was in was dim, lit up by torches on the walls. She seemed to be submerged in a pool, the space only big enough for the water and the small, stone walkway that lined it.

“Oh frack…” she whispered to herself. “Did I die?”

She paused, turning her head to see what was on the other side of the strange little room she’d somehow surfaced in...which, aside from her immediate death theory, she couldn’t even _begin_ to make sense of.

As she turned, Felicity let out a shriek of surprise when she saw five figures standing above her, a hallway with more torches beyond them. They were all wearing black robes, hoods covering their faces. The swords they all held in their hands were up, pointed at her. And Felicity’s heart rate immediately sped up. If by some miracle she was still alive...the sight in front of her kicked all of her instincts into high gear, telling her to run. Except she was wet and half-dressed, treading water to her chin, and they were all dry and armed. Plus, they seemed to be blocking her only escape.

“Frack,” she whispered again, shifting back towards the other side of the pool as she eyed the men. She looked at them one by one, although she’d never been more terrified in her life. They all looked the same. Menacing. Huge. Especially with those damn swords in her face.

Maybe if she dove under the water again, she’d magically resurface back at the waterfall. 

There wasn’t much logic to begin with, so it could work, right?

Unless the scary dudes in masks decided to stab her with their swords before she could get away.

Her eyes continued down the row of men, all five of them wearing the exact same thing. They all had their eyes on her. But...there was only one who seemed to be _looking_ at her.

Felicity could tell that he was their leader. 

He stood with a commanding presence, his feet just an inch ahead of the other four, demanding respect. His sword was angled lower, too, pointing at her heart while the others were trained on her head.

She met his eyes.

Piercing blue. A stark contrast behind the dark veils that hid his face. He didn’t look away. 

Instantly, it set her stomach into a frenzy of butterflies, feeding on her fear. His eyes were cold, guarded. And yet, there was something else in his gaze. Something that cut through the terror that was taking over inside of her.

Curiosity, perhaps? 

It was...almost _familiarity_ that she felt in that moment, staring back at this stranger. His eyes that were as blue as the water she’d just gotten lost in.

No, no. 

Between her palm reading and the buzzing noise and the magical waterfall, she’d experienced enough craziness in the last few hours. She didn’t need to get herself killed by thinking she could trust a man based on the color of his eyes while he had a sword pointed at her heart.

Unless, of course, she was already dead.

Oh, or maybe she was dreaming. And if she was dreaming, then what was the harm in fantasizing about her potential murderer and his pretty blue eyes, right?

Okay, even in dreamland, that was crazy.

Felicity blinked a few times, taking a deep breath as she paused to compose herself.

“Who are you?” she finally spoke, focusing on the man who still held her gaze.

The man was silent, cocking his head to the side as his eyes continued to pierce through her. He raised his hand, covered in a black glove, and gestured to Felicity with one flick of his finger. And then the other men surrounded her, looming above. 

“Frack,” she muttered again, getting ready to sink back under the water because she’d rather take her chances down there than with the creepy dudes in costumes.

Before she had a chance to suck in a breath and dive back under, the men reached down and fished her out, leaving her feeling a little ridiculous as she flailed to get out of their grasp. Yet they didn’t even flinch while she kicked against them as hard as she could.

In less than thirty seconds, they had her trapped. Two of the men grabbed her arms, keeping her still, and started dragging her towards the one that seemed to be calling the shots. Infuriated at being manhandled, Felicity yelled, “get your hands off me! What the hell is wrong with you people!?”

The man continued to stare at her when she was brought face to face with him, his eyes neutral. And Felicity barely reached his chest, but she made sure to glare up at him. Because he wasn’t nearly as interesting now.

Now, she was pretty scared.

And it was obvious that he wanted to intimidate her.

She had no idea where the hell she was, but she knew that she wasn’t welcome. “Let. Me. Go,” Felicity seethed up at the man, not bothering to look at the ones restraining her because she knew it was _him_ who held all the power. Rather than listening to her though, he leaned in closer, putting his face just a few inches from hers. He stared at her with such intention, looking into her eyes as if he was searching for something. But she knew that whatever this place was, there was nothing she could give him. He wouldn’t get any answers from her. Only questions.

His blue eyes transfixed her, but Felicity was too mad to be curious. She didn’t care how he was looking at her or how that made her feel. She ignored the electricity that bounced from her eyes to his. 

After a long moment, he stood up straight, glancing at the men around him. He nodded once, and they suddenly released her.

Felicity instantly took a step back, survival instincts kicking in. But she bumped into one of the other ninja-wannabes, forgetting that there were more of them behind her. All at once, they started to step away from her, moving in sync, in such silence that if she had her eyes closed, she was certain she would have had no idea they were there at all.

It was creepy.

She just wanted to go home.

Confused, she watched them leave. Her skin was wet and cold, covered in goosebumps. The t-shirt she wore barely covered her underwear, and it was probably see-through anyway. Water dripped from it, creating tiny puddles on the floor by her feet. Felicity lowered her head, looking down at her feet as she felt the same pair of eyes staring at her.

A shiver ran down her spine, the room eerily quiet. And she was alone with the blue-eyed stranger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Feel free to let us know what you think. All comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! 
> 
> Twitter: smoakqueenfam, olicitysbett  
> Tumblr: blondeeoneexox, smoaking-greenarrow


	2. Khayin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!  
> I loved writing this chapter A LOT, so I hope you'll all love it just as much! Of course, special thanks to my partner in crime for helping, plotting, editing, and cheerleading me along to get it done. And thank you to Magda for this gorgeous gif! She totally spoiled us, you guys. I'm just as excited to share the edits she made as I am to share the fic ;)  
> Reminder that we're updating every other Wednesday, so we'll see y'all with chapter 3 on November 25th!!  
> -xoxo, Ellie

  
He was leading her somewhere. Maybe he was trying to help her escape, and that’s why he sent the other men away. Or maybe he was going to kill her and wanted to do it without an audience.

With a tight grip on her arm, the stranger guided her out of the room with the pool, into a long and dark hallway, dimly lit by torches that were placed periodically. It reminded her of something out of an Indiana Jones movie. But she had a feeling this wouldn’t be the same kind of heroic adventure. If she even survived it.

“Who are you?” Felicity asked the man again. And again, he remained silent. “Where am I?” She tried a different question.

He glanced down at her, but still didn't reply. 

“Will you at least tell me where you’re taking me? What do you want from me?”

Felicity struggled to keep up as the man kept a tight grip on her arm, pulling her down the hallway. She was still shivering, her wet, bare feet stumbling on the stones that she could barely see in front of her. But he walked with purpose, like he knew every turn and every crack in the floor. 

They walked for so long that her legs felt sore. She was exhausted. But even if she managed to break free from the man, she knew she would never be able to find her way back to the pool. They’d taken so many twists and turns, and every single one looked exactly the same. 

“Please,” Felicity finally begged. “It was an accident. I don’t want to be here. I didn’t mean to be here! I—I was just swimming and I just...I don’t even know how to explain it. I don’t want any trouble. Please, just let me go. I won’t mention your creepy cult to anyone, I swear.”

Suddenly the man turned on her, invading her space until he had her backed against the wall. The torch next to her head illuminated his features. Well, his eyes. Since that was all she could see. But the fire danced with the cool blue color, distracting her. 

In the back of her mind, Felicity knew that she should be afraid of him. That she should at least be angry at this stranger for pulling her along the way that he was, taking her against her will. But apparently, that sense of familiarity was back. It was impossible to understand, but she somehow felt safe. Like he was trying to tell her in one glance that he wasn’t going to hurt her. 

Well...she must be just as crazy as these people because for some reason, she believed that he wouldn’t.

For the rest of the walk, Felicity stayed quiet. She knew she didn’t stand much of a chance against him. Fighting would probably just make him angry, and that wasn’t something she was willing to test. Besides, if she was about to be brainwashed and forced to join a cult of ninjas, then she would need to save her energy, prepare for a time when she had a clear escape route. Then she would make a run for it.

Eventually, the man stopped walking, coming to a sudden halt in front of one of the torches. Felicity glanced around, looking for some kind of change, but the hallway looked no different than any of the others. 

“What are we doing?” She whispered, peering over her shoulder, expecting to see someone or something that had made him stop.

When she turned back around, they were suddenly facing a doorway. Felicity’s eyes widened, searching for a marking on the wall, anything that would have alerted him about a secret passageway, but of course, there was nothing. Silently, he raised his gloved hand, gesturing for her to walk through the doorway. 

Felicity blinked up at him, swiftly shaking her head. 

_Hell no. No way. Not a chance. No sketchy secret passageways in the basement of a cult for this girl._

At her very obvious refusal, she _swore_ she saw the man roll his eyes at her. And then he tugged on her arm, pulling her inside anyway. “Hey!” Her instincts kicked in, trying to yank her arm out of his grasp. He grunted when she managed to land a blow to his stomach with her elbow, but it was the most of a reaction that he’d given her. 

As she stumbled into the room, Felicity stopped, too surprised at the scene in front of her to keep attacking her kidnapper. He let go of her arm once she was inside, and Felicity’s eyes moved around the space. The room was dark and musty like the hallway, lacking any windows, so she assumed they were still below ground. But there were a few candles lit around the room, a table and two chairs in the corner. A small bed, only big enough for one person, pushed against the wall. There was a fireplace on the wall across from the bed, and the man threw her a look before bending down in front of it, stoking the flames. 

She spun quickly, her eyes darting to where the door they’d come through _should_ have been, yet the wall looked just like the others. Approaching it quickly, Felicity ran her hands along the stones, searching for a handle or a lever that would open the door again. Her fingers moved frantically, heart clenching in her chest as she came up empty.

Long gone was the logic of saving her energy. His stupid eyes weren’t going to trick her into keeping calm this time. She was locked in a room with a complete stranger who clearly had some issues considering the fact that he was dressed like a ninja and wouldn’t talk to her. She really, really didn’t want to find out what the hell he planned on doing.

For a brief moment, she thought about banging on the stones, screaming for help. But if she had stumbled into a cult, which seemed like the only possible answer, then she doubted any of his twisted friends would come to her rescue. She had to get out of there herself.

Looking back at the man, Felicity noticed that he’d pulled his hood down, revealing a head of light brown hair. He kept his mask up though, covering half of his face. She inched closer, keeping her eyes on him while he crouched in front of the fire. She stepped around him, glancing around the room for something she could arm herself with. 

There was a candlestick on the floor next to the bed, and she slowly picked it up, holding her breath as she stared at him, just waiting for him to turn his head and catch her. But he didn’t. She quietly blew out the flame, picking it up and wielding the heavy base of the iron candlestick away from her body. 

One quick hit to the head. That should put him out for a while. Then she could pry the door open and run. It would at least give her time to escape.

The idea of being alone in those hallways gave her the creeps, but she was running out of options here, and knew she had to try something.

Approaching him slowly, Felicity lifted the candlestick with shaking hands, suddenly worrying about how much force was required to render a person unconscious and how much would be _too_ much? Violence might be necessary due to the insanity of her current circumstances, but she wasn’t trying to kill the guy. 

His eyes never moved from the fire, transfixed on the growing flames. And he kept his back to her, his whole body perfectly still.

Felicity raised the candlestick, figuring that a hard hit to the side of his head should do the trick. She let out a sharp breath, steeling herself, reminding herself that she didn’t have a choice. No turning back now.

Just as she was taking her swing at him, the man twisted around, moving too quickly for her to really comprehend what he was doing. One of his hands shot out to grab the candlestick, disarming her in a matter of seconds. Before she could even gasp, she was falling, unsure if she had tripped or if he had thrown her off balance.

Felicity landed on his chest, hearing the iron weapon clang loudly against the stone wall as the man must have tossed it aside. She blinked down at him in confusion, trying to make sense of what the hell had just happened, but he just narrowed his eyes. _Angry._

And then she was suddenly on her back, with the stranger on top of her. His bright, calming blue eyes staring down at her. Her heart was racing, her breaths heavy, as she met his cold glare.

Obviously, he wasn’t very impressed. And in hindsight, it was a pretty sad attempt. He’d probably guessed her move to attack and escape the moment that they’d stepped into the room. As she caught her breath, Felicity stared up at him, barely feeling his weight over her, and hating that she was suddenly captivated by his eyes once again.

“If you came here to kill me, you are going to have to do better than that.”

Felicity was so surprised to hear him finally speak, distracted by the low, growling tone of his voice, that it took her an extra few seconds to realize what he’d said. And he wasn’t moving, just watching her as he kept her pinned to the floor, waiting for her to answer. So he speaks. And he speaks English, apparently.

“I wasn’t trying to kill you,” she breathed. “I just wanted to knock you unconscious.”

He raised an eyebrow at her explanation, and with half his face hidden, the picture was almost comical.

Actually, it _was_ comical. And she was so far past her breaking point…

Felicity couldn’t stop herself from giggling.

He froze above her, his eyes widening in surprise at the sound of her laughter. And that was just as funny.

“What…” he huffed, a flash of irritation crossing his features as Felicity continued to laugh.

Her ninja kidnapper was annoyed with her. Because she was laughing at him.

It shouldn’t be funny. But at that moment, it was very, very funny. 

As she tried to contain herself, he stared down at her, not making a single move to get off, but his eyes softened, ever so slightly. The irritation faded as she failed to control her breaking-point, over-exhausted giggles.

He almost looked... _amused._ The stranger’s eyes were so expressive, and she wanted to believe that the calmness, the safety she saw in them was true and not just her mind’s way of coping with the danger that she was in. She wanted to think that she could trust him not to hurt her. After all, he hadn’t yet. If he thought she came to kill him, that she was a threat, then why did he bother taking her here? And if he wanted to hurt her, then why was he staying where he was, looking at her with the slightest hint of a smile behind his eyes? If only she could see the rest of his face...then maybe she could make sense of whatever it was that ensnared her every time he looked into her eyes.

Felicity’s laughter quickly faded as she kept her eyes locked on his, absorbed and intrigued.

She had to know. 

Without a second thought, her hands slowly reached for his face, his eyes flickering just before she touched him. 

Either she was right, and the man wouldn’t hurt her. Or she had a death wish. At that point, it was honestly kind of hard to tell.

The tips of her fingers grazed his cheeks, feeling his heated skin. And she was fascinated when he closed his eyes, easing into the contact while he lowered a little bit more of his weight, his body pressing fully against hers. Felicity let her hands find his mask, gently hooking her fingers into the edge of it. Maybe his cult had some kind of ‘if you see my face, I have to kill you’ rule, so she made sure that her intention was clear, pausing for a moment, giving him time to stop her.

He opened his eyes again, his expression darker than before as he looked down at her. But he gave her a small nod, silently telling her that it was okay, and Felicity found herself nodding back. Slowly, she lowered the mask, revealing his face, and her breath caught in her throat.

He was handsome.

Like, incredibly good-looking. And not just for a crazy-ninja-cult-guy.

Her eyes raked over the rest of his face; his full lips, the slight stubble that covered his jaw, the cute mole at the corner of his mouth. And she kept touching him, not understanding why she felt the need to, but she could also tell that he wanted her to. She could feel his eyes on her face, but Felicity kept her attention focused on her own hands; her thumb that traced his chin, her index finger that skimmed across the mole above his lip. And then she flattened her palm against his cheek, her eyebrows furrowing in bewilderment as he instinctively leaned into her touch, his eyes slipping shut again for the briefest moment. “Who are you?” Felicity whispered, asking the question for the third time, but even more determined to get an answer now.

The man’s lip twitched as she pulled her hands away, placing them carefully at her sides. “My name is Al Sah-him.”

She raised her chin, rewarding his answer with one of her own. “I’m Felicity. Smoak.”

Al Sah-him nodded once in acknowledgement, and then the moment seemed to be over. He stood up, helping her up, too. Felicity chuckled under her breath as she remembered how they’d wound up on the floor in the first place. 

She tried to beat him with a candlestick, failed epically, and he offered her a hand.

“So…” the stranger sighs, scratching his hand across his jaw, visibly uneasy without his mask on.

Well, she was in a wet t-shirt and underwear. If she had to feel uncomfortable and vulnerable, then Al Sah-him should, too. What was with that name, anyway? It wasn’t like anything she’d heard before. And in her opinion, it didn’t really suit him… Felicity cocked her head to the side, observing him, the whole picture. Al for short, maybe?

_No. Nope. Definitely not an Al, either._

“Felicity Smoak,” he crossed his arms over his chest, like he was trying to look serious, but the intimacy of their moment still lingered, making it hard for her to feel afraid of him. “What brought you here?”

She raised an eyebrow, crossing her own arms as he put some space between them, leaning on the wall opposite from her. The fire was behind her, and she kept her feet planted, basking in the heat. “I don’t know. That’s what I want you to tell me. Where is _here,_ exactly?”

In response, he gave her a strange look. “How did you get into the compound?”

“I told you,” Felicity lifted her chin, not backing down. “I swam. I was swimming in that waterfall and when I came up to the surface, I was here. And you and your little buddies had swords in my face.”

He narrowed his eyes, “the waterfall?”

“Yes,” Felicity nodded firmly.

“The waterfall is miles away from here. And the tunnel from Nanda Parbat has been sealed for many years.”

She huffed, frustrated. “Look, I don’t know anything about any tunnels, and I don’t know what the hell a Nanda...Nanda whatever-you-said is. I was swimming at the waterfall, and then I was here. That’s honestly all I know.”

Al Sah-him shook his head, “that is impossible.”

Taking a moment, Felicity met his eyes evenly, praying to the google gods that whatever instinct she had to trust him, that he felt it too. “I’m telling you the truth,” she answered quietly, her shoulders slumping.

If it sounded crazy to her ninja-kidnapper, then it was probably just crazy.

Maybe she should circle back to that theory that she’s actually dead...it seemed to be the only one that made sense.

He watched her for another long moment, back in control of his expression as he analyzed her with nothing but a blank stare and mild curiosity. Her own curiosity about Al Sah-him was much more than mild, but now wasn’t the time or place to try to solve that mystery. She had other mysteries to solve. Like how to get home when she was in a foreign country, trapped in a basement of some cult-ninjas who also, by all appearances, didn’t believe in electricity.

After a few long moments, he stepped away from her, turning to the stone door. “This room was built as a shelter in the event of an emergency. You will be safe here until I return.”

“Wait,” Felicity paled, moving to follow him. “You’re leaving?”

Al Sah-him glanced at her over his shoulder, then pointed to the bed, “there is a chest with dry clothes under the bed. I am sure you can find something that fits. I will be back as soon as I can.”

“You can’t just leave me here,” she pleaded, suddenly feeling even more terrified to be alone than to be alone with him. At least with him, there was a sense of safety, even if it was false. But she couldn’t easily forget that they weren’t alone in this place. He hadn’t been the only one pointing a sword in her face when she first surfaced, after all. And she’d rather take her chances with him than any of his cult buddies that might be lurking around this place. Or whoever else lived here. “Where are you going?”

The look in his eyes was apologetic, “there are others here...they will wonder where I am if I do not go back. And if they come looking for me, then they could find you. You are safer if that does not happen.

A chill ran down her spine, not wanting to find out what the hell that meant. But he didn’t have to leave her alone. He could show her a way out. “Why don’t you just let me go then?”

He sighed, “if you belong to our enemies, I have freed a traitor, which will cost me my life. If you are innocent, _lost_ as you claim...then trust me, you are safer inside these walls than outside of them.”

Felicity straightened her back, realizing that he was serious. And he was going to leave no matter what she said. 

But that could buy her time, right? It was only a few minutes ago that she’d been trying to knock him out and run off alone, wasn’t it? “What about the ones that were with you?” She asked. “In the water. They saw me, and I assume they know where I am. How can you say that they won’t hurt me?”

“Those were my men,” Al Sah-him replied calmly. Confidently. “They won’t reveal your presence without my order. I have one of them watching over you. He will be instructed not to let anyone into this room aside from me. You will be safe.” And then he added gently, “I promise.”

It wasn’t that she fully believed he could keep that promise, but she nodded once, deciding to let him go.

He fixed his mask back over his face, pulled his hood back up, and then tapped on the stone door twice. Felicity watched as it slowly opened, revealing another man dressed exactly like him. Al Sah-him walked out of the room without looking back, and Felicity felt her heart sinking. 

Would he really come back?

Was she truly safe here?

After the door closed behind him, Felicity stood totally still, pressing her ear against the stone to see if she could hear anything. But of course, she couldn’t. She took a few breaths, giving herself a moment to gain her composure and giving him the chance to come back. When it was obvious that he wouldn’t, Felicity shook her head, trying to get a grip and refocus. 

_Escape._

Find a way out of this hell-hole. That was her priority. 

First, she tried knocking on the door. Two taps, just like Al Sah-him had done. If there really was a man keeping watch outside her door, she wasn’t really surprised to find that her knock went unanswered. She’d already checked the door, and she knew that it must only open from the outside. 

Turning around, Felicity ran her hands along the walls, hoping for another way. He’d said that it was for emergencies, not prisoners. So it could have a secret tunnel to escape from, couldn’t it?

People in an emergency wouldn’t get locked into a room with no escape...right?

She was filthy by the time she finished combing through the room, checking every inch of the walls and floors for an out. 

There wasn’t one.

Annoyed and afraid, Felicity hurried back over to the door, pounding on the stone. “Hey!” She snapped. “Let me out of here!” 

Nothing.

“Go get your friend and tell him that I need to talk to him right now!”

Silence.

Felicity deflated, “um...I have to pee?”

Again, she was ignored. Sinking down the wall, Felicity sat on the floor, lowering her head into her hands. She had to allow herself five minutes. She needed them if she was ever going to find a way out of this. Five minutes to worry. Five minutes to panic. Five minutes to cry. 

And she used them well, quietly letting out all of her frustration and fear.

By the time Felicity was ready to get up, she was exhausted and shaking. She pulled the chest out from under the bed that Al Sah-him had told her about, finding a shirt and a pair of pants that seemed to be made out of the same material as his. They were big, but Felicity felt a little better once she put on the dry clothes, although she didn’t put on the mask and hood that were in the chest, not bothering to complete the whole costume like Al Sah-him’s.

Then she sat down in front of the fire, groaning as the warmth from it reached out to her. 

She stared straight at the flames for a long time. At first, she considered her possibilities, what she could do when Al Sah-him returned. Rush him as soon as he came in the room and take her chances with a fight. Hide behind the door and try hitting him in the head with that iron candlestick again...but this time use the element of surprise, get him before he even knew where she was. Or she could try to negotiate. It was obvious that whatever moment they’d shared, her captor had been affected by it, too. She doubted that he revealed his face to just anyone. Maybe she could use that to her advantage. Manipulate him into letting her go somehow. 

Sitting there, Felicity mentally ran through her options, whatever she could do to get away. Because she had to get away. She had to get out of there. She had to get home to Ray…

_Ray._

What on earth was _he_ thinking right now?

She’d literally just taken off in the middle of the night. Vanished. _God, he must be so worried._

Felicity didn’t want him to worry about her. She didn’t want him to fear that she was dead. She needed him to know that she was okay. 

And she was exhausted. So exhausted that she didn’t realize she was starting to fall asleep. Her mind was still processing everything, but her body slid closer and closer to the floor, her eyes remaining on the flames until they finally slipped shut.

* * *

Felicity woke to a cool, tingling sensation on her neck. She was still too tired to open her eyes, swatting at the spot with a groan. It disappeared, and Felicity sighed happily, turning back towards the warmth at her side. 

Right when she was starting to fall asleep again, she felt a prick on her throat. It was the faintest pinch, like a bug biting her. But it was enough to remind her where she was.

Her eyes flew open, instantly landing on the shadow of a figure that loomed above her face. The first thing she noticed was the mask, and her instinct was to scream, jolted awake and immediately terrified. Before she could make a sound though, a gloved hand covered her mouth. Felicity tried to scream anyway, but the hand was covering her nose too, making it hard to breathe, let alone scream.

“Khayin.”

Felicity froze at the word, blinking as she realized that her visitor was a woman. 

She had dark hair under her hood and hazel eyes that peered down at her, the rest of her face concealed behind the same kind of covering that Al Sah-him had worn. 

“Khayin,” the woman repeated, anger dripping from the word. Felicity gulped, feeling the cold pressure of a blade on her neck again. 

_Well then, that’s one way to wake a girl up._

“Khayin,” the woman said again, pressing the knife harder.

“What?” Felicity choked, squirming as she tried to get away. 

“Ah, English it is,” the woman leaned closer, “ _traitor._ ”

“Traitor?” Felicity squeaked, trying and failing to get a grip on the woman and push her off, but she was strong. “I’m not a traitor. I don’t even know who you people are!”

“Who sent you here?”

“God, why are you all so paranoid!?” Felicity yelled. She was very sick and tired of being threatened. And having pointy objects in her face. “No one! No one sent me! I got lost!”

“An American?” the woman scoffed. “Lost in these mountains? You would have frozen to death in the forest before you made it here. I do not believe you, Khayin. If you are who I believe you are, then you should know what happens to traitors who enter these walls.”

Felicity gulped, “you offer them a cup of coffee and a place to stay for the night?”

The woman shook her head, sparing a dark laugh. “We cut out their tongues and send them back where they came, so that their people know they are not only a traitor, but a failure.”

Before Felicity knew what was happening, the woman had a forceful hold of her jaw. The knife hung from her other hand as she tried to pry Felicity’s mouth open. In shock and unable to fight against the woman’s strength, Felicity did the first thing she could think to do. As soon as the woman’s hand passed by her face, she bit down on her finger, not hesitating or daring to hold back.

Once she had her attacker distracted and in pain, Felicity shoved against her as hard as she could. And to her amazement, the woman went flying across the room, crashing into the far wall. With a tiny yelp, Felicity scrambled to get the knife that had been dropped on the floor in the process. She quickly rose to her feet, holding the weapon in both hands and pointing it at the woman in case she tried to come at her again.

“Al Sah-him,” the woman growled, staring at something over Felicity’s head.

And Felicity whipped around, her breath catching in her throat as she saw the man himself, realizing that he’d been the force that shoved the woman across the room. He stood right behind Felicity’s shoulder, his stance almost protective as he towered over her. He was breathing heavily, his eyes glued to the stranger on the other side of the room. 

The look on his face was full of rage, and all Felicity could comprehend was that it seemed to be directed at the woman; the one who was dressed just like him and looked to be a member of his cult. It was a murderous anger behind his glare, and Felicity instinctively took a step away from him, keeping the knife in front of her. 

At least the rage rolling off of Al Sah-him wasn’t directed at _her…_

_Thank god for that._

“Nyssa, what are you doing in here?”

“You dare to demand answers from me? While you are the one harboring a traitor right under my father’s nose?”

Al Sah-him stepped in front of Felicity, putting himself between the two women. His eyes flickered down to her, and then he turned his back, facing the woman named Nyssa. “She is not a traitor. If I believed that she was a threat to us, do you really think she would still be breathing? She is an outsider. She knows nothing.”

It was hard to see the intimidating woman, but Felicity tried to subtly peek around Al Sah-him’s shoulder to get a glimpse. “Yeah,” she whimpered in agreement, still terrified of this Nyssa. “I know nothing. Just call me Jon Snow.”

“Is that your name?” Nyssa asked, cocking her head curiously.

“What?” Felicity snorted. “You mean is my name Jon Sn—no, no, that’s not my name. I’m Felicity.”

Nyssa narrowed her eyes, “if your name is Felicity, then why would I call you Jon Snow?”

“I…” Felicity blinked, “okay, you’ve clearly never seen Game of Thrones. Never mind that, forget I said anything about Jon Snow. It’s Felicity. Felicity Smoak. Now that you’ve tried to kill me, I guess we’re doing introductions?”

_Insanity._

_This place was insanity._

“Alright then, Felicity Smoak...” Nyssa answered skeptically. “How do you know my husband?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okaaaay...first impressions of Nyssa? Should "Al Sah-him" forgive Felicity for trying (but not trying) to kill him? And how 'bout that last line!?  
> Let us know what you think in the comments! 
> 
> Ellie:  
> smoaking-greenarrow (tumblr)  
> olicitysbett (twitter)
> 
> Caitlin:  
> blondeeoneexox (tumblr)  
> smoakqueenfam (twitter)


	3. Nyssa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all!  
> Happy American Thanksgiving Eve!  
> The wait is over! You'll have an answer to that crazy cliffhanger from last chapter, as well as a few more answers too. But what would a story be if along with answers, many more questions didn't pop up? ;) I absolutely LOVED writing this chapter. It's probably one of my favorite chapters I've ever written, so I hope you enjoy it just as much. :)  
> As always, a massive shoutout to my PIC, who deals with my many "Do you think this is right?" or "What about this?" texts almost daily. Hahaha. She's the best and we couldn't do this story without each other!
> 
> Since it is American Thanksgiving Eve and certainly a time to be thankful, we'd like to extend our complete gratitude to everyone who has been reading and freaking out with us about this story. It means the absolute world to us to read your comments and receive all the love we've been getting. Fanfic is all about audience enjoyment, and knowing that this story we've crafted has people captivated, is so fulfilling. So, from both of us, THANK YOU! ♥️  
> We hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving has an amazing and SAFE(!) holiday and for those that don't, have a great rest of your week! :)
> 
> xoxo,  
> Caitlin
> 
> PS: Back with the next update on 12/9!

As always, thank you to the incredible Magda for this amazing gif! :)

* * *

Felicity’s mind was swirling. 

Her _husband?_

Al Sah-him was _married_ ? That didn’t make any sense. She hadn’t known the guy for long, but in that short span of time, she hadn’t really gotten a vibe that shouted “doting husband.” Crazy-ninja-cult leader maybe, but definitely not someone’s _husband_. 

Were they in love? Was this some kind of weird cult like marriage? Do they have kids? How does one even get married in a cult? Is it an actual wedding? Why weren’t they wearing rings? What kind of crazy, freaky freak show had she stepped into? 

So many thoughts, so many questions. Yet the one thing that overtook her brain stunned her. 

_Guess that palpable chemistry we shared wasn’t anything after all._

Whoa. Not the thing she thought would pop into her brain at that moment. 

She’s _engaged_. To Ray. He had to be out looking for her. He had to be absolutely terrified that he couldn’t find her. There had to be a way to get back to him. If only she could find a way out of this _dungeon_ and this man who did inappropriate things to her brain. 

_No. She had to leave. She didn’t belong here._

_Right?_

Quickly shaking that _insane_ doubt from her head, she slowly peeked her head from behind the man in question. 

Narrowing her eyes, her head cocking to the side in thought, Felicity studied his profile. His features were scarily grim. Even more so than they had been a minute ago, which quite honestly, she didn’t think was possible. His mouth set in a scowl, his narrowed blue eyes bore into Nyssa’s with an emotion she couldn’t quite pinpoint. 

There was definite rage, that much she was sure of. But there was also something else, fear maybe? Whatever it was, it was enough to make her gasp.

His eyes flew to her, as she watched the slight sound she made register within him. His features immediately softened as he took in her face. Their eyes met, blue taking in blue. That same familiarity was there from before. The feeling that no matter the scary expression on his face or intense look in his eyes, she was safe with him. 

It was the oddest feeling.

Shaking her head, she tore her eyes away and stepped out from behind Al Sah-him, walking toward Nyssa, the knife still in her hand. 

Felicity directed her words at his _wife_ , “I’m sorry, he’s your what now? No offense, but neither of you seem like the marrying type, and you certainly don’t seem like you’d be married to _each other_.” 

Nyssa’s eyes narrowed as she got up from her position across the room. Taking a step toward Felicity, she studied her. Her eyes took in what she could only assume was her frazzled, bed head like appearance, roaming up and down her body, a very calculated gaze. 

“And why should that matter to you? Who are you to my husband, khayin?” her voice was even, yet still menacing. 

Felicity blanched, moving back slowly as Nyssa continued to move forward, like she was a lioness hunting her prey. Hitting a wall, Felicity jumped as she whipped her head around. She let out a small squeal as she realized that it wasn’t exactly a wall, but rather Al Sah-him. 

The only movement coming from him was his heavy breathing, his eyes not leaving Nyssa. 

Whatever was between them, seemed to be something of an unconventional relationship, for that Felicity was absolutely certain. What husband and wife had a standoff like this? One where they looked like they might kill each other? 

Tension continued to fill the air. 

_Sexual tension?_

Al Sah-him practically growled when the other woman stepped closer, his body, which remained pressed against Felicity’s back, coiling tightly. As if he was warning Nyssa not to come any closer.

_Nope, definitely just tension._

Felicity didn’t know how long they all stood there, it felt like it could have been days. After another moment and no movement from either of them, Felicity took a small step to her right, toward what she knew to be the door. 

In an instant, Al Sah-him had a hold on her wrist, and was guiding her behind him once again, stepping toe to toe with his wife. 

“It’s time for you to go, Nyssa.” His voice was still growly, almost caveman like.

If one thing was certain, she knew Al Sah-him wouldn’t allow Nyssa near her regardless of the situation. She was eternally grateful for that. 

Felicity glanced down, noting that his hand was still attached to her wrist, in a grip that was both firm, yet made her feel warm and safe. She couldn’t help it as she stepped a tiny bit closer to him, brushing up against his back. Her breath hitched, feeling the tiniest squeeze where he held her wrist as if to tell her that it was okay. 

Felicity marveled at the slight tingling sensation that shot up her arm. This man, who she didn’t know from Adam, was seemingly protecting her from his own _wife_. This man who she hadn’t laid eyes on prior to her arrival was trying to keep her safe from whatever was outside these four walls. 

_Why?_

Was it a selfish play? Had she been kidnapped without even realizing it? Did he view her as some sort of threat? _She would never understand that if that was the case because...had he seen her? Least scary person on the face of the planet._

None of this made any sense to her. 

She hadn’t really stopped to think. The waterfall had to be some sort of magic, right? Al Sah-him told her that it was located miles from here. So how had she gotten there? She knew she hadn’t been swimming for long or very far. The buzzing had led her there. 

_The buzzing._

That had to have something to do with it. The buzzing had led her to the waterfall. She felt like she was being summoned into the water by the low sound. But then it had just...disappeared as she entered the water. 

_And what was with that anyway?_

It was completely unlike her to just take off in the middle of the night for a swim. In the woods, no less! She _hated_ the woods.

Something weird was going on. Something she needed to figure out immediately. As soon as she got away from the crazy attractive ninja cult leader and his wife. 

Taking a deep breath, she sighed softly. Peering out from behind Al Sah-him, she studied the couple. They were still staring each other down after what felt like five hundred years. 

Nyssa wasn’t backing down, and neither was Al Sah-him. 

“I told you to _leave_ , Nyssa. It would be in your best interest to do so.” His voice was incredibly low, gravily.

_Pretty damn sexy._

_No, Felicity. You have got to stop these thoughts from entering your mind._

_Get away from the sexy cult man and get back to your fiancé. Everything will go back to normal...well, once things are normal again._

Felicity shook her head slightly as she continued to watch the sight in front of her.

“I’m not leaving here until I get some answers about who _she_ is, husband.” Nyssa stated pointedly, her eyes throwing daggers in Felicity’s direction. 

She could feel Al Sah-him tense, as his breaths grew heavier. “I do not know anything about her. If you would give me a few moments, I want to have a discussion with her to find out her story. Now please, _leave._ ” He dropped Felicity’s wrist, gesturing toward the door. 

Nyssa raised her eyebrow, unfolding her arms. “Fine, husband. I’ll leave you to interrogate her.” she paused, eyes keenly aware of Felicity’s gaze. “But I expect a full report on your findings once you’ve finished with her. If you do not get the proper answers from her, I will be forced to interrogate her myself. And we both know that she will not like that.”

Sauntering over to the wall, she knocked twice, looking back to where the two of them stood, Felicity still firmly planted in her spot behind Al Sah-him’s back. 

The door opened, and when Nyssa stepped out into the hallway, Felicity could see two guards standing outside, one holding the door open for her. 

As quickly as the door opened, it closed again, leaving her alone with Al Sah-him once more. 

Letting go of a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding, Felicity moved her arms into a hugging position around herself. Glancing around, her eyes landed on the bed she had been pulled from mere moments ago. 

The tiredness hit her once more, that bed calling out to her. Closing her eyes, she couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her.

All she wanted to do was climb in, shut her eyes, and sleep for another twenty four hours. She felt like she deserved it after all of the insane things that had gone on in the last forty eight hours. 

Had it been that long?

The concept of time had truly been lost on her since she arrived here.

The darkness. 

The torches.

The hollowness.

The utter quietness.

Felicity had to figure out where she was. She had to figure out how to get back to Ray. That had to be her one and only focus. 

Feeling a heavy gaze on her, she slowly opened her eyes, rubbing one gently. Still facing toward the bed, she swung her head back in the direction of Al Sah-him.

Unsurprisingly, he was openly staring at her, those blue eyes piercing into hers. He really was an unbelievably attractive man. His eyes were just the main attraction. Between the stubble on his face, that chiseled jawline, and the mole she couldn’t help but want to—

_Nope. Not going there._

That doesn’t necessarily mean she doesn’t want to, though.

Shaking her head of those inappropriate musings, Felicity stared back at him, with what she felt like was the same piercing gaze he was giving her. 

“So, how long have you been married?” She asked him pointedly, cocking her head a bit. “Because like I said, you don’t seem like the marrying type. No offense, you just seem like the type of person to keep to yourself and not date. How do you even date in this hell hole? I mean, it’s not like you can go to dinner or to the movies. Unless...you have a secret movie theater in here.” she paused, eyes widening. “Wait, do you have a secret movie theater in here?” 

The confused look on Al Sah-him’s face told her everything she needed to know. 

“So, no to the movie theater then? That doesn’t surprise me. Seeing as though this place doesn’t seem to have entered the twenty-first century yet. Would it kill you guys to get some light fixtures? I mean torches are very prehistoric and all, but light bulbs are a wonderful thing. Plus, what do you even do for food, because I am _starving_ . I don’t even know how long I’ve been here because you know, I haven’t seen the light of day since you dragged me through the halls and to this little dungeon. _Room._ Very nice room. Because after meeting your wife, you know, I’m grateful that you brought me here instead of...wherever she came from. Where _are_ we anyway? You never answered that question either. I just—”

Before she could go on, Al Sah-him was in front of her; his hand on her shoulder, his frame towering over hers.

“Felicity. Please slow down.” 

Those four words made her pause as she gazed up at him, realizing her long rambles must be a little overwhelming to strangers. 

“I’m sorry. I tend to go on and on when I’m nervous. Or scared. Or both. Which I am right now. I’m pretty sure my fiancé is the only one who finds it even slightly endearing, and let’s be honest, I’m pretty positive I annoy him most of the time.”

As soon as the words slipped out of her mouth, she felt Al Sah-him tense. His fingers gripped her shoulder tighter as his eyes flew to her left hand where her engagement ring sat. 

She glanced down as well, splaying her hand out a bit. 

It truly was a beautiful ring. Two carats, teardrop diamond, with two smaller diamonds on the side. A sterling silver band holding the jewels in place. Ray had impeccable taste. 

She hadn’t been a girl who had envisioned engagement rings or anything wedding related really, but this ring just didn’t do it for her. The moment Felicity saw it, it felt like it didn’t fit her. Everything about it felt...off. But it sure was pretty, and it wasn’t like she _hated_ how it looked on her finger. She would never actually tell Ray that, she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. 

It just made her wonder if he really knew her as well as a person should know another person before they got married. 

_No. This was not the time to think about this._

Felicity lifted her gaze back towards his beautiful blue eyes, only to find them still on her ring. She quickly moved her hand back to her side, and walked past him toward the bench by the fire. Sitting down as gently as she could, her eyes drifted back to his form.

“So...your wife is kind of scary. Did you know that? Of course you did, pretty sure you know these things since you know...you’re married to her.” she huffed, a nervous laugh escaping her. 

Al Sah-him’s gaze transformed from tense to amused within seconds. 

“She won’t harm you. I promise. No one will as long as you stay by my side.”

Inhaling deeply, Felicity shifted to the side. The air was thick with tension, but not the type of fearful tension it held when Nyssa was there. No, it was a tension that had a heavy air about it. One that Felicity had felt earlier when they were alone. 

_Sexual tension?_

_Stop it, Felicity. Stop. Stop. Stop._

“Nyssa isn’t my wife.”

Her eyebrows shot up, surprise lighting up her face. “Excuse me, what?”

_Well, that explains a lot._

Nyssa wasn’t his wife? What the hell? So many more questions filled her mind, some she knew she likely wouldn’t get the answer to tonight. No, he’d likely keep most of his secrets under wraps. His next words broke through her train of thought.

“She’s not my wife _yet_. We are set to marry within the month.” 

His eyes flickered up to meet hers, a look on his face that she couldn’t quite read. 

Standing, Felicity took a step towards him. “Okay, but why would she call you her husband if you aren’t married yet? Why does this sound like some arranged marriage nonsense?” Her words came out of her mouth more quickly than she had anticipated. “I’m sorry, that was rude—”

His eyes didn’t leave hers as he spoke, “Because it is. Nyssa and I are being forced to marry.” 

_Oh god...what kind of twisted shit has she been catapulted into?_

“Forced...to marry? But why?” Felicity asked, her words filled with confusion and curiosity. 

“It’s a long story, one that is filled with things that outsiders would not understand. It will be easier for you if you did not know.” 

Felicity’s eyebrow arched as she crossed her arms over her chest. “The one thing you should know about me, Al Sah-him, is that I don’t like mysteries. They need to be solved.”

His face softened ever so slightly, the slight uptick in his lips the only thing giving it away. “Yeah, why doesn’t that surprise me?” he let out a small huff, almost sounding like a chuckle before resetting and filling with that same tension she’d seen before. 

Felicity wondered what his laugh would sound like. Would it be boisterous? The type of laugh that made you instantly start laughing too? Or would it be just a quiet chuckle, one that was only meant to be heard by few? She got the inclination that this man didn’t have the opportunity to laugh very often. From the moment they’d met, his demeanor had always been rife with intensity. The air about him just radiated dominance. 

What made him like this? What events in his life had caused him to become the man she’s taking in right now? 

He was yet another mystery she wanted to learn about. 

“We should probably talk about some things.” His voice tore Felicity from her thoughts, making her focus on the present. 

She sighed, moving to sit down once again on the bench, tucking her legs up underneath her. “What would you like to know? You know my side of the story. You know my name and that I was swimming in the waterfall when all of a sudden I found myself here.” She paused, fiddling with a thread on her now dried shorts. “I don’t know what else to tell you.” 

Al Sah-him shifted, walking towards the fireplace and placing his hand on the wall. “I don't view you as a traitor.”

Felicity’s eyebrows shot up, lifting her gaze to him, her eyes wide with surprise. 

_Well, that's a relief._

“That’s what it means, you know. That word that Nyssa kept calling you. Khayin. It means traitor in our language,” Al Sah-him explained.

“Yes,” Felicity nodded. “Your future wife mentioned that. Well...good. I’m glad you don’t think I’m a traitor. Because I’m not. I honestly don’t even know _what_ would make me a traitor in your eyes or _who_ I’d be a traitor to, but at least you can see that I’m not that. So. That’s good.” She stated the words calmly, but she could hear the tiny bit of apprehension that crept in as well. 

“Felicity, you said something earlier that I didn’t quite understand.” He paused, folding his arms as he leaned his body against the wall. “You said something about a movie theater...what is that?” He asked it with the most serious expression, and she almost wanted to laugh.

Felicity furrowed her brow, the question taking her by surprise. “What do you mean? You don’t know what a movie theater is?” 

_Who didn’t know what a movie theater was?_

Al Sah-Him shook his head. “No, I’m afraid I don’t.” 

Confusion overtook her brain. How does someone go their whole life without knowing what a movie theater is? The first time she had been in a movie theater was when she was three and gone to see The Lion King with her dad. It was something she’d never forget, partially because she was in awe that a movie could be _that_ big and partially because it was one of the good times she remembers of her dad before he left them. 

She would always remember the smell of the popcorn and tasting M&M’s for the first time. And she would definitely never forget grabbing onto her dad’s hand when Mufasa died, a tear trickling down her cheek. Her dad had immediately pulled her into his lap and held her the rest of the movie. 

_Yeah. Definitely not forgetting that._

Shaking her head of those thoughts, she refocused on Al Sah-him, who was still staring at her with the same confused look on his face.

“A movie theater is where you go see a movie. You know, a little comedy, maybe some action. It’s where you pay a ridiculous amount of money for popcorn and candy, not to mention an icee or a drink. Then you go and sit with people and watch whatever movie you pay for...” 

The look on his face was something between bewildered and dumbfounded. 

He still had no idea what she was talking about. 

“Please tell me that you’ve at least seen a movie? One movie. Fast and the Furious? Casablanca? Sweet Home Alabama? Although, none of those movies really seem up your alley, but still.” 

Al-Sah-him just stood there, motionless. His eyes were narrowed and his brow was furrowed. He slowly shook his head, lifting his shoulders. He truly had no idea what she meant. 

“How are we living in the twenty-first century and you have no idea what a movie theater is, let alone a movie? I cannot even begin to fathom not having that type of access to the outside world. Have you ever left this place? Which PS, I still don’t know where or what ‘this place’ is. I’d really like some answers regarding that soon if you don’t mind.”

Taking a breath, Felicity paused as she took in his face. Al Sah-him’s features were dark, still in that perplexed state they had been in a minute ago. He unfolded his arms from his body, pushing off the wall and taking a step toward her. 

Her neck stretched up to watch him as he made his way over. He surprised her when he knelt down in front of her, placing his hands on either side of her thighs, caging her in. 

If he had done this a mere ten hours ago, she would have felt a bit intimidated, but she knew that he wouldn’t hurt her or make her feel uncomfortable. 

Her eyes met his. She would be blind if she didn’t note the confusion and wonderment in his crystal clear baby blues. 

“Felicity, why do you keep talking about the twenty-first century?” he asked, his words clear and concise.

Her brow immediately furrowed, breathing evenly. “Because...it _is_ the twenty-first century,” she stated matter of factly, without hesitation.

Oliver shifted, his eyes not leaving hers. “No, it’s not.”

She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped from her mouth. “Have you been drinking? What do you mean it’s not? When I woke up this morning it absolutely was.” She continued to giggle, not quite knowing what was happening. 

She had to be completely sleep deprived at this point because this man was making absolutely no sense. He had to have been mistaken, or she had to be dreaming, or maybe this cult brainwashing thing was deeper than she thought. There were really no other options.

_Right?_

Another giggle escaped her as she eyed him and his serious face. He was always _so_ serious. 

“Felicity...what year is it?” 

She paused, the last giggle slipping out of her. 

“It’s 2020.”

Al Sah-him’s deep intake of breath took her a bit by surprise. Before she knew it, he was standing straight up and taking a step back. The look on his face was one of stunned shock and pure confusion. 

Standing slowly, she took a chance and stepped towards him. He didn’t move, his eyes still dancing with hers. 

“Al Sah-him...” she said slowly, turning her head slightly to the side and brushing a tendril of hair from her face. 

“It’s...it’s not 2020, Felicity.”

She felt her eyes widen and her brow deepened further. 

“What are you talking about? Yes it is. Trust me, I would know. It’s kind of a hard year to forget.” She chuckled to herself, thinking of all the crazy events that had happened. 

The look on his face told her that this was not the time to be laughing about anything. The deep frown on his face caused his eyes to narrow, a sigh escaping his lips and his head bowing. 

“Okay...if it’s not the year 2020, then what year is it?”

Al Sah-him lifted his head to search her eyes, as if he was looking for some type of answer. As if he couldn’t believe that she was serious.

_Except I’m not the one dressed like a ninja, running around some creepy tunnels with torches and an arranged wife, so..._

“It’s 1926.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1926?! WHAAAATTT?! 🤯
> 
> Let us know what you think! :)
> 
> Caitlin:  
> smoakqueenfam (Twitter & Tumblr)
> 
> Ellie:  
> olicitysbett (Twitter)  
> smoaking-greenarrow (Tumblr)


	4. 1926

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends!  
> We're back! In my opinion, this is our most plot-driven chapter so far. It's still kind of setting the scene for everything we have planned, but I loved writing it and thinking up all these details in this world. Nanda Parbat and the League has always been one of the most interesting parts of the show for me, so it was fun to dissect that a little bit with this chapter. Plus, Al Sah-him! He and Felicity have had that instant chemistry since they met, but now they're starting to get to know each other better, and becoming closer, and...I'll let you read the rest :)  
> Even though we're still ahead with our writing, Caitlin and I decided that December (and this chapter) would be a good time to take a little break from posting, like a winter hiatus. We'll be back in January with Chapter 5! :)  
> We hope that everyone enjoys reading this one. Let us know what you think in the comments!  
> -xoxo, Ellie

* * *

His cult had brainwashed him.

That was the only explanation that Felicity could think of. They’d brainwashed this poor man into believing that he was living in 1926 and that he was some kind of ninja who had to marry another ninja in order to fit in with their little ninja cult. 

It finally made sense.

It was the _only way_ that any of this made sense. 

Two days since she first found herself in this strange place (Nanda Parbat, as Al Sah-him called it) and Felicity didn’t feel any better about her stay. After the first night, the men at the door had periodically let her out of the room, only to wordlessly guide her down the hallway to a restroom. It was a wide room with very little privacy. But on the second night, she noticed that one of the hot-tub-sized bathtubs was filled with water, steam rolling from the top of it, with soap, a towel, and fresh clothes resting beside it. And Felicity groaned at the idea of soaking in the warmth. She’d glanced over her shoulder to see that the men were out of sight, although she wasn’t foolish enough to believe that they’d left her alone. And then Felicity had taken the hospitality without question, letting the bath ease her discomfort and make her feel a little better.

But she wasn’t sleeping very well, which left her exhausted and even more disoriented.

She only noticed time passing because Al Sah-him would visit to bring her meals. The visits were brief, he would only stay a few minutes, long enough to remind her that she was safe. He would promise that he was working on a way to help her as he hovered in the doorway. And then he would leave.

When he came into her room on the second night, her hair was still wet from her bath, and this time he closed the door. Al Sah-him carried a tray with a bowl of some kind of soup, bread, and a cup of water. Her eyes tracked him as he walked across the room and set it on the bench by the fire. Then he took his mask down, something she hadn’t seen him do since he’d allowed her to remove it, and sat down on the bench. Felicity stood up from the bed, crossing her arms as she made her way over to him and took a seat.

She knew that her situation could be a lot worse. 

None of the men who guarded her door bothered her. They wouldn’t even look at her. She had a warm bed and food. And his future wife, Nyssa, hadn’t come back to put a knife at her throat again. Surely, all of it was Al Sah-him’s doing. His protection.

Sure, no one came after her...but she couldn’t forget that these people thought they were living in 1926. An entire century in the past. Something was obviously unsettling about that, making her feel like it was only a matter of time until her luck ran out here. She knew she needed to leave, and convincing her blue-eyed captor to let her go was probably the only way.

“Eat,” he whispered, his eyes focused on the flames of the fire in front of them.

Felicity sighed, picking up the piece of bread and nibbling on it. She’d tried a few times to speak to him, but he wouldn’t have any of it unless she ate. After a few bites, she picked up the cup and took a few big gulps of the water, glancing up at Al Sah-him and noticing that he’d relaxed a little. 

The man was impossible to read. But she’d been working hard in the last forty-eight hours to do exactly that. Read him. For her own survival, of course. 

Seeing that she was eating and staying hydrated made the little crease between his eyebrows disappear, his shoulders less tense. Felicity picked up the bowl of soup, her mouth watering as the aromas hit her nose, and took a couple bites of that as well before she dared to start a conversation. 

“Listen…” Felicity set the bowl down, turning to face him. “I appreciate that you’re looking out for me. But I need to get back to my fiancée. I have people at home, you know? And I know they’re worried about me, wondering if I’m okay.”

Al Sah-him’s eyes flickered away from the fire, his brow furrowing again as he looked back at her. “You mean...in 2020.”

She huffed, “Well, yes.”

“Felicity, I do not think that what you would find outside of these walls is what you remember. This is much more complicated than simply letting you leave Nanda Parbat.”

She bit her lip, hoping he doesn’t take offense to her next question, but she has to ask. “Do you...do you know what’s outside these walls? I mean, have you ever left this place?”

Al Sah-him blinked, his lips twitching as if he wanted to smile, but it didn’t touch his eyes. “Yes. Of course I have left. I have been all over the world, Felicity. And I assure you, it is not the future where you say you came from.”

“Okay,” she answered slowly. “Then...fine. I’m wrong. So why don’t you just let me go and I can find my way back to where I belong.”

His eyes met hers, searching for something. He shook his head, “It is not safe.”

Frustrated, Felicity sighed. “I know. You keep saying that. But I don’t understand...you seem to trust me more now as a crazy time-traveling freak than when you thought I was a traitor.”

This time, she really did make him smile. Felicity paused, taken aback by how different he looked as the small grin spread across his face. Of course, he was gorgeous. She’d thought that he was handsome even when she’d only been able to see his eyes. And then when she’d taken his mask down...well, that moment had kind of mesmerized her. 

Now, seeing Al Sah-him let his guard down for her once again, to smile at her...it was something else. A new layer of him being peeled back. He was beautiful. The smile lit up his entire face with emotion that she never could have imagined him capable of. It was vulnerable and sweet, a fleeting note of joy that somehow still held an underlying, subtle sadness that didn’t waver from his eyes. And, well, that moment kind of mesmerized her, too.

“But I don’t get it,” Felicity whispered, her eyes still on his mouth. “You think the year is 1926, and I think it’s 2020. I told you that I got here by swimming under a waterfall, which, according to you, is miles away from here. And somehow, you don’t really seem alarmed by that. It’s like that makes more sense to you than if I was some kind of double agent for your enemies. Or whatever.”

Al Sah-him lifted a shoulder, not responding. 

Felicity eyed him carefully, “you don’t...I mean, you don’t actually believe that I came from ninety four years in the future, do you?”

She got another shrug in return. “I believe that there are things in this world that we cannot explain. And I would rather believe that you are one of those things, than that you are khayin.”

“Well, since your lovely bride-to-be said that khayin get their tongues removed, I’m very grateful for that.”

He smiled again, letting out a sharp breath. “I have told you, Felicity. They have been instructed to keep watch over you. No one will harm you here. Not even Nyssa.”

She narrowed her eyes at that, “I’m sorry, but Nyssa doesn’t really seem like the kind of woman who follows instructions.”

Felicity was certain that Nyssa wouldn’t care if she lived or died, and probably wouldn’t mind killing her herself.

Al Sah-him shook his head. “I came to tell you that I can take you out tomorrow,” he said slowly. Her eyes lit up, and he quickly clarified, “not...out of the compound, but out of this room. It has been a couple of days since you have seen the sun, and I apologize for that. Tomorrow, our leader is leaving Nanda Parbat. He will only be gone for the day, but I could show you some of my home, if you want.”

Any opportunity to get out of this room, she would jump at. Especially because he was right, she missed the sun. Plus, she wasn’t going to have any chance of escaping if she didn’t learn her exits, right? As far as she was concerned, Al Sah-him’s offer was a win-win.

“We will have to avoid the east wing,” he continued. “That is where Ra’s and his men reside. Some of them will stay behind after he leaves, and I do not want them to know of your presence. But on this side, you will be safe.”

“I have to admit, I’m curious,” she chuckled. And deep down, she was a little excited to see more of the place where she’s been sleeping for the last two days. “Tomorrow?”

He nodded, his eyes soft, as if he could feel her excitement. Felicity watched him as he stood up, gesturing to her abandoned bowl of soup, “You should finish your meal and rest, Felicity. I will be back at dawn.”

_Something to look forward to._

“Okay. Okay...I’ll um, I’ll see you then.”

Al Sah-him left. Felicity finished her food. And after blowing out the candles and climbing into the bed, she actually felt a moment of peace. For the first time in days, the tiny room, illuminated only by the fading fireplace, felt a little bit less like a prison.

Felicity just wasn’t sure if it was the promise of escaping it come morning, or if it was Al Sah-him’s visit, his lingering presence, that made it feel that way.

Regardless, she closed her eyes and fell asleep quickly. And thankfully, she stayed asleep for the rest of the night.

When she opened her eyes again, it was because of a knock at her door. Felicity pushed the blankets off of her and stood up quickly, finding the thick black robes that she’d left hanging on the bedframe and pulling them on just before the door opened.

Al Sah-him entered the room, leaving the heavy stone door open just a crack, letting light spill inside. He cocked his head to the side as he took her in, “Did I wake you?”

She huffed out a laugh, “Surprisingly, yes. I guess I really needed a good night’s sleep.”

He pinched his lips together, “Well, I am sorry that I woke you, then.”

“No, no,” Felicity rushed. “Let me just...give me a few minutes to get ready and then you can show me around?” She raised her eyebrows, knowing that she was staring at him with all of her hopes clear as day on her face.

He nodded, turning to open the door completely, and then held his hand out in invitation.

After so many hours stuck behind that door, it was a strange sight to see it wide open like that. To see Al Sah-him offering her the way out as if it wasn’t the opposite of everything he’d been saying. She had to stay hidden for her own safety. She couldn’t leave because it was too dangerous. 

It was probably because of all of that, but the simple gesture gave her a rush of excitement. Like a kid on Christmas morning. Felicity practically skipped by him, not stopping to spare her newfound bodyguards a glance, since they’d never given her the time of day, and headed for the restroom around the corner.

Once she was ready; her face washed, her teeth brushed, and her hair tamed, Felicity stepped into the hallway. Al Sah-him stood waiting, a hood and a mask in his hand that he held up to her. She glanced at the two men flanking him, each of their faces covered from the nose down, and she took the articles. He had to help her get the hood attached to her jacket, and she basically swam under the thick clothes, but she had a feeling that she would fit in more like this than if she didn’t bother at all.

It was clearly some kind of uniform around here.

Al Sah-him led her down the hallways like he had once before, but this time he walked beside her, leaving the other men to trail behind them. The paths were just as winding and confusing as she remembered from the night she arrived, and even though she had better senses now, it didn’t do her any good. Every corridor looked exactly the same; dark, lined with torches, and her feet catching on the uneven cobblestones. She tried to pay attention, and she knew they’d only been walking for fifteen minutes or so, but by the time they came out of all the twists and turns, she also knew that she would never be able to find her way back to the room she’d been living in, let alone the pool where this all started.

As they emerged from the hallway, they were instantly greeted with sunshine and fresh air. Felicity blinked quickly, her eyes adjusting to the new light. They were still covered by a roof above, but one side of the corridor was unenclosed. She welcomed the open air, sucking in a few deep breaths before she even realized how high up they were. In the room, she could have sworn that she was trapped in a basement, but maybe that had never been true. At least, the walk to this corridor had never felt like they were climbing a freaking mountain, yet the view that greeted her was vast, overlooking dunes of sand that seemed to stretch forever.

_Holy. Shit._

It suddenly hit her that Al Sah-him had been putting it lightly when he told her that the world she saw would not be the one she knew. There was nothing like this on her hike with Ray. 

She could see the other wings of the compound; a massive, U-shaped structure that had to be at least ten stories tall. Unless it went up even farther and she just didn’t realize it. But it seemed like they were at the top. 

“Wow,” Felicity breathed.

This wasn’t just some crazy cult for ninja wannabes. 

This was a _community._

This was...Nanda Parbat.

Felicity turned to look at Al Sah-him, realizing that she hadn’t really understood everything he’d said until now. There _was_ danger here. This wasn’t a place she wanted to wander alone. 

“Who are you people?” She asked quietly, her gaze intent on him. “Really?”

He straightened his shoulders, keeping his eyes on the horizon. “We are known by many names, and none at all.”

“Well, that’s cryptic.”

Even with the mask on, she swore she saw a hint of a smile touch his eyes, the moment brief before his stony expression returned. “I believe in your language, the ones who are aware of our existence call us...the League of Assassins.”

Her jaw dropped open. “Assassins?”

Al Sah-him’s eyes finally met hers, “I have been trying to tell you Felicity, this world that you have found yourself in...it is not as safe as the one you left.”

* * *

Al Sah-him walked her all around the compound, and Felicity was amazed at how intricate it all was. The building was simple in design, and nonexistent in decoration, but the structure was insanely complex. It was more like a labyrinth than a home. As if it was created only for these people, these _assassins_ , to navigate. And the more she saw, the more she realized just how true that was. 

There was no way anyone who hadn’t spent years in this place would be able to find their way around. Even with the views to guide her, it was impossible for Felicity to tell where she actually was. On this side of the building, there was only sand to look at. And it was all the same. But Al Sah-him had mentioned the waterfall; he knew it existed and he knew where it was, so she had to assume that there was more she couldn’t see from here.

Still, it felt good to stretch her legs and walk. And it felt even better to breathe in the fresh air and feel the sun.

They passed a few other members as they roamed in and out of the halls, but Felicity just kept her head down, avoiding eye contact. The others kept their masks on as well, as if they didn’t even share their identities with each other. Felicity knew they must have to eat, sleep and bathe at some point, and they couldn’t possibly conceal their faces at all times. But it seemed like it was just the way. And it made her even more curious as to why Al Sah-him had allowed her to remove his mask on that first night.

“Come on,” he said as they reached a stairwell. “I’ll show you the zenith.”

Felicity stopped, about to ask what that meant. The other guards had stealthily left them, leaving her alone with Al Sah-him. She was still hesitant to blindly follow the guy she’d just met. He climbed a couple of the stairs, turning to look at her. And then he held out his hand for her, and she found herself taking it. Blindly following the guy she’d just met.

The stairwell twisted in a full circle as they ascended the steps, and he pushed open the small door that waited at the top.

And then Felicity was face to face with the most breathtaking sight she had ever seen.

The brief glimpses she’d seen of the dunes were directly in front of her, but from the top of Nanda Parbat, she could see everything. The entire structure looked as if it was melted into the sand below. And Felicity stood at the top of it, able to see every level, so high up that the people at the bottom looked like ants. 

The air was crisp and warm, the breeze a gentle nip on her cheeks. When she turned her head, there were mountains that rolled into the rising sun, gorgeous canyons with rocks of deep, rich colors. And behind them, the desert stretched on until it met the forest. 

Felicity sucked in a sharp breath, knowing that if she wanted to escape, she’d have to make it to those trees. It had to be where she’d find the waterfall. Where she’d find Ray. But from this vantage point, anyone would be able to see her in daylight.

As beautiful as the view was, Felicity was even more appreciative of the answers it provided. It was exactly what she’d needed to know. There was a way out. She just had to use it. She had to find the right time to take it. She had to be careful.

“This is incredible,” she shakes her head, her smile hidden beneath the covering on her face. But it was there, and the view really was unreal.

He looked down at her, nodding his head with a quiet, “I thought you might enjoy it.”

“Well, it definitely beats the four walls I’ve been staring at for the last few days.” 

“I am sorry for that, Felicity. It is actually what I wanted to talk with you about. Our leader will be back in Nanda Parbat by nightfall. But three days from now, he is set to leave again, and next time he will be gone for a week. While he is away, I will have time to take you to the waterfall that you say brought you here.”

Her heartbeat sped up at the suggestion, hoping with all of her might that she could trust Al Sah-him to mean what he’d just said. “You would do that?”

“Yes. If that is what you want.”

“It is,” she breathed. Of course it was. “You would really take me back?”

He nodded again, meeting her eyes evenly. “I promise. Hopefully we can find your husband from there.”

Three days. He was asking her to wait three more days. She really, really didn’t want to have to wait that long. But weren’t her chances of finding Ray again much better if she had a ninja-bodyguard to help her? 

The question was; could she truly believe that he would keep his promise?

“Who is this leader of yours, anyway?” She asked, wanting to know more, even if she had no intention of staying any longer than she had to. “Is he like, the best assassin in the league or something?”

Al Sah-him raised an eyebrow, “he’s...the oldest. His name is Ra’s al Ghul.”

“Wow,” Felicity snorted, “he sounds as scary as Al Sah-him.”

He shrugged, “In your language, I believe it translates to...Head of the Demon.”

“Okay, definitely scary. And...what does your name mean?”

Al Sah-him leaned in closer, his voice quiet, like he was sharing a secret as he told her, “The Arrow.”

Felicity cocked her head to the side, narrowing her eyes at him. “Because you’re...really good at archery?”

He sighed, “because I am most deadly with a bow in my hands.”

_Right. Assassins._

She was just going to have to compartmentalize that one. “So...Ra’s al Ghul. He’s the one who makes the rules around here?”

Al Sah-him glanced away, giving his head a slight shake. “The rules here have been in place for centuries. Ra’s did not create them, but he enforces them.”

“How did you...I uh, I don’t mean to sound rude or anything, but how did you end up here?”

He titled his head down towards her, his eyes bouncing between hers as if he was searching for something again. Like he wanted to see into her soul. And Felicity had the strangest feeling that he actually might be succeeding. “That is a story for another time, Felicity...we should go back down. You must be hungry.”

With a sigh, Felicity gave the view one last appreciative glance, and then she followed him back inside.

He guided her down the stairs and back the way they’d come, then directed them through yet another hallway in this maze of a place. Al Sah-him walked slowly, gently placing his hand on her back. Whenever they crossed another person, he would turn his body towards her, inconspicuously shielding her from their gazes. She still wasn’t exactly sure what would happen if his league of assassins found out she didn’t belong there, but it was obvious that Al Sah-him didn’t want to find out. Which made Felicity not want to find out, either.

“What’s behind all these doors?” She eventually asked once they were alone, but still keeping her voice low just in case. 

“There are four hundred of us here,” he whispered back. “The ground level is strictly our training facilities. Above that is the library, common rooms, dining hall, and kitchen. The rest of what you see are our living quarters. There are a few rooms like yours hidden in the south wing, but we all live on the east and west sides.”

Hearing his explanation, it reminded Felicity of the dorms at MIT, minus the stone architecture and ancient, torch-lighting of course. She was pretty sure her freshman dorm had a pool table and at least six broken washing machines in the basement. This place apparently had an entire facility for training people to be assassins. 

“Wait,” Felicity paused. “You have a library?”

Al Sah-him glanced down at her, “Yes, but unfortunately it is on the east wing, where Ra’s most loyal men reside. And it would be best if they don’t get suspicious about a stranger in our home.”

“What about people who _have_ seen us? They won’t notice? Or they won’t tell?”

“The members on this side of the compound...they are loyal to me. They trust in me. They will not bring this to Ra’s without a good reason.”

She let out a long breath, “Well, that’s a bummer about the library. It’d be nice to have some entertainment for the next three days...that's not just my own thoughts. Although, there’s probably enough going on in here,” she waved her hand around her head, “as it is.”

“Follow me,” Al Sah-him answered gently. “I’m sure I have something you can borrow.” As they rounded the corner into the next corridor, he winked at her.

_Winked._

A playful, comfortable, brief but sexy _wink._

Felicity shook her head, certain that she must have imagined it.

He led her down the hallway without another word, stopping in front of one of the doors. And when he opened it and walked inside, Felicity followed him without question.

The space opened up to a large, lavish bedroom. Felicity instantly stopped in her tracks, taken aback by the massive bed that was impossible to ignore. The room had a fireplace across from the bed, a door that led to a balcony and a perfect view of the canyons, but it was mostly the bed that she couldn’t take her eyes off of. It was huge. Luxuriously adorned with blankets and pillows that were deep red in color. 

It looked like it was fit for a king.

And the bedroom was by far the most extravagant, lively place she’d seen in Nanda Parbat. 

“This...this is your room?”

Al Sah-him turned to look at her, his eyes flickering to the bed as he noticed it had her attention. “Yes...Ra’s insists that I stay here.”

“Are the other rooms like this?”

“...no.”

“So how come you get the fancy room?”

“You ask a lot of questions, Felicity Smoak.”

“You don’t answer very many, Al Sah-him.”

The more she said his name out loud, the more _wrong_ it felt. The Arrow. It truly just didn’t suit the man who enjoyed pretty views, candles all over his room, and cracking a smile when she babbled.

He huffed, closing the door behind them. “He does it because he expects me to take over as the next leader. When his time is through, he’s chosen me to lead our people. But...that will be years from now.”

Now that they were alone again, he lowered his mask to reveal his face, and Felicity did the same. “Wow,” she raised her eyebrows, “the next demon’s head, huh?”

In answer, he simply shrugged.

“You’re saying that all of this,” she gestured around the room, “will be yours?” The whole place. Nanda Parbat and all of the _assassins_ who lived here would answer to him? “You don’t seem very excited.” 

“I came here to escape, not to lead.”

“Escape what?” Felicity asked. Al Sah-him cocked his head to the side, giving her a look that told her she wouldn’t be getting an answer on that. “So,” she tried again, “that’s how it works? Ra’s al Ghul just leads until it’s time to retire and he picks a prodigy?”

“It is a little more complex, but essentially, yes. Although Ra’s prefers for his predecessor to be a part of his family, and since he only has a daughter, his chosen one is obligated to marry her.”

Felicity froze, her eyes widening. “You mean...Nyssa is Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter?”

He nodded.

“Jeesh,” Felicity sighed. “There’s enough drama in here to write a soap opera.”

Al Sah-him cocked his head again, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked at her with a question in his eyes. 

She shook her head, not wanting to waste time explaining to him the art of a nice and angsty television series. “How old were you when you came here?”

“Eighteen,” he answered simply. 

Felicity glanced at him in surprise, expecting that he would have been much younger than that.

She had a million questions, and she struggled for a moment to pick the right one to ask. What was his real name? Who was he before? Where was he from? How did he get to Nanda Parbat? And _why?_

Instead, she chose something simple. Something she assumed he would have an easy time answering, seeing as he was a full grown adult when he left his life behind and basically joined a cult. 

_Sorry, League of Assassins._

“Do you miss it? Your home?”

He pondered her question, his eyes focused on the wall behind her. And then he shook his head, “There is nothing there for me to miss.”

Before she could reply, there was a knock at the door, and Al Sah-him quickly turned away, apparently glad for the interruption. 

One of the hooded men entered the room, not making eye contact as he carried a tray inside, setting it on the table in the middle of the room and then leaving as quickly as he’d come.

Felicity’s mouth watered at the sight of the breakfast in front of them. Much like the room, it was much more extravagant than anything she’d seen here so far. Eggs, bacon, waffles, orange juice. Coffee.

_Coffee._

Coffee!

“Go ahead,” Al Sah-him offered a small smile. “I had them bring enough to share.”

Felicity sat down on the floor next to the table, getting comfortable on one of the pillows as he took a seat across from her. And then, surprisingly, the two of them shared a quiet, relatively pleasant yet somewhat awkward meal together. When they were done and her stomach was full, Al Sah-him stood up and walked over to the fireplace. “Ra’s doesn’t tolerate secrets in Nanda Parbat. Before you came along, this was probably my most substantial one…”

She watched him curiously, noticing the mischievous look in his eyes as he met her gaze. She didn’t notice him move a muscle, but he must have done something, because the fireplace suddenly pushed open, the stone pillar on the left side unlatching to reveal some kind of hidden space behind the hearth. Felicity scrambled to her feet, moving to Al Sah-him’s side as she carefully poked her head inside. 

He picked one of the candles up, opening the tiny hatch up completely before he ducked his head and went inside. With the light of his candle, Felicity could see what he was talking about, and she smiled. 

The room was no bigger than a closet, but all three walls were full from floor to ceiling with books.

Al Sah-him had a secret library.

The big, bad, supposedly scary assassin liked to read?

Apparently, enough that he hid a collection of books from his creepy cult leader?

“Ra’s al Ghul doesn’t like literature?” Felicity wondered aloud, her eyes raking over the books, more than a little baffled by the whole thing.

“He does,” Al Sah-him mumbled, his voice smooth, close to her ear, and wildly intimate in the small space. “We have an armory full of books. He likes history, ecology, and world politics. Religion. Mathematics. Art. Music. There is plenty to learn about almost anything. But there is nothing to read that is simply for enjoyment. So, whenever I travel, I bring something back.”

“A book?” She asked, tilting her head to look at him. He met her gaze evenly, his expression controlled but she could see a smile behind his eyes. This made him happy. That much was clear. 

“Yes.”

And for a brief moment, Felicity hoped that he was happy to let her in on his little secret. “I love it,” she breathed, taking her eyes off of him to peruse the books once again. She recognized a few titles, but didn’t see anything that she’d read before. Many of them were in different languages, too. She spun on her heel, narrowing her eyes at him. “How many languages can you speak, exactly?”

Al Sah-him blinked, his lips turning down in a small pout. He had to think about it. Felicity scoffed, waiting. And finally, he met her eyes again, “Seven.”

She raised an eyebrow, “All right then Mr. Smarty Pants...what book in here would you recommend for me?”

Again, he paused to think about her question. And Felicity couldn’t help but feel charmed by the way he considered it, carefully looking over the books until he found the right one.

“This,” he whispered. Leaning in, he reached around to take a book from behind her head. Felicity’s breath caught in her throat, surprised at how close he was, the skin of his neck only a few inches away. So close she could smell him. And even more surprising was the way it made her heart beat wildly in her chest. 

Al Sah-him pulled back a moment later, clearing his throat as he offered his choice. Felicity took the book between her hands, not daring to look up at him again. “This Side of Paradise?”

“F. Scott Fitzgerald,” he answered quietly. “One of my favorites...as far as Americans go.” She chuckled, and he tapped the book with his index finger. “I think you’ll like it. And it’ll give you something to do to pass the time until I can get you out safely.”

Felicity nodded, finally glancing up at him. “Thank you…”

He confused the hell out of her. Made her head spin. She wanted to know everything about him, like a mystery she had to solve. But at the same time, she wanted to run for the hills before she got too invested.

Three days.

Three more days and then she could figure out how to get back to Ray.

Away from Nanda Parbat. Away from _him._ Away from those eyes that roused something deep inside of her. Something that in her heart, Felicity knew he had no business to be rousing, and she had no business to be feeling.

Three days. 

Whether she had answers or not, whether she understood this place or how she ended up here or not, she had to leave. And then she could put all of it behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Felicity escape!? Will her favorite little ninja let her go as easily as it seems? Does Ra's give y'all the creeps like he gives me the creeps, even when he's not actually there? And my most important question that I need answers to please: Would you want to spend some quality time with Oliver/Al Sah-him in a closet-sized secret library? I know my answer, but I'm just wondering ;)
> 
> Thank you all for reading and commenting! We appreciate it so much!!
> 
> Ellie:  
> smoaking-greenarrow (tumblr)  
> olicitysbett (twitter)
> 
> Caitlin:  
> smoakqueenfam (twitter & tumblr)
> 
> And of course our usual love and gratitude to Magda for spoiling us with her gorgeous gifs!


	5. The Intruder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Welcome back!  
> I'm excited to finally post this chapter and get back to y'all with this fic. This was one of the first ideas I had when Caitlin and I were brainstorming the story, and there's a lot that happens. As you might have guessed from the title! We're back with a bang ;) And back to our posting schedule (as best we can) of every other week with updates on Wednesdays. Hope you like it!  
> -xoxo, Ellie

It was hard to sleep in her room in Nanda Parbat. Even after the guards let her take a bath. Even after a couple of hours reading _This Side of Paradise,_ even after she sat in front of the fire and stared at the flames for god knows how long. It helped her to relax.

But sleeping was another story.

When Felicity was awake, she could _somewhat_ trick herself into believing that she was safe. But when she was asleep, there was no convincing.

She spent every night drifting in and out of sleep, never truly resting.

The room was so silent, she could hear it when Al Sah-him’s men would change shifts. They never made any noise, not with their feet at least. But they always spoke to each other in passing, in a language she didn’t understand, keeping their voices low outside her door.

After the first couple of nights, Felicity eventually didn’t bother to open her eyes, even as she was stirred awake by their whispered voices.

On the last night of her stay, the night before Al Sah-him promised to take her to the waterfall, she awoke to the voices. They were low, quiet as usual, as if they thought she wouldn’t hear.

Not that she understood a word of it, anyway.

Felicity turned over onto her side to face the door, keeping her eyes closed and the blanket tight around her chin.

As one of the voices grew louder, Felicity opened her eyes in confusion. She blinked through the darkness, the fire almost out now. Only the faintest bit of light came from the cracks in the door. Then she heard a loud thump that made her gasp, followed by a groan. Something of pain and surprise from a voice she didn't recognize. 

And Felicity's eyes were wide open now.

Her breath was stuck in her throat.

There was nothing. Silence.

Her heart started to race and she stared at the door, waiting. Her eyes burned as she bit her tongue and listened for another sound, too afraid to blink or breathe.

There was nothing. But she didn't dare to move after what she'd just heard. Did she imagine it? Had she been dreaming again? Still, there was dead silence on the other side of the door. Felicity had no idea what she was supposed to do. If Al Sah-him was a normal friend, she could call him down to her room. Or call the police. If she was at home, she could yell for help. But this wasn't home and Al Sah-him was not a normal friend.

For some reason, with panic rising, Felicity started to count.

_One._

_Two._

_Three._

She forced herself to breathe. To blink.

Slowly, the door started to open.

_Four._

_Five._

Felicity shut her eyes, doing the only thing she could think to do. Pretend to be asleep.

She could feel someone’s presence in the doorway, and even with these ninjas and their silent feet, she felt it when he, or she, stepped into the room. 

_Six._

_Seven._

_Eight._

The intruder walked straight towards the bed, cautious, like a predator sneaking up on its prey. 

She couldn’t hear or see a damn thing. But Felicity could sense the threat looming over her, right in front of her face.

_Nine._

Her heart hammered in her chest.

Felicity knew she had to do something. She knew she had to move.

There was a muffled scraping sound that instantly made her imagine a weapon being drawn. A knife of some kind. And then it was as if she could feel the thing, whatever it was, hanging above her head.

_Ten._

Acting on instinct, Felicity sprang from the bed. She had no idea if the person was really in front of her, but she lurched forward anyway, colliding with them almost immediately. Her one advantage was that at that point, she knew every inch of that room. She knew exactly where the candlestick was, the one she’d tried to hit Al Sah-him with on her first night there. Once she knocked the intruder to the ground, she grabbed the candlestick and turned around. 

Whoever it was beneath the hood and mask, they were already getting up as Felicity got her bearings. So just like before, she acted instantly, not willing to hesitate for even a moment. 

The only thing going through her head was the simple thought... _kill or be killed._

And every instinct in her body told her that that was the severity and reality of the moment.

If she didn’t strike, she could die.

Felicity lifted the leaden candlestick and brought it down right against the intruder’s cheek.

Her breath was heavy as she watched the lump of ninja stop moving, flat on their back. And as soon as she realized that her attacker wasn’t going to get back up, at least not immediately, Felicity bolted for the door.

She didn’t give a _frack_ to find out who they were or what they wanted or what they planned on doing to her. 

The door to her room was wide open and all she could think was _run._

There was a guard laying on the floor just outside, but Felicity didn’t dare to stop. She quickly jumped over him, trying to remember which turns Al Sah-him had lead her through when he showed her around the compound. It was practically impossible to retrace their steps, but it at least gave her something to focus on. Something more than _'oh frack, oh frack, oh frack, did I just kill someone?'_

Felicity ran as fast as she could, telling herself that the walls were familiar and she _had_ to be going in the right direction to get out of that labyrinth. 

She didn’t care what awaited her, as long as it wasn’t that room with _that_ assassin. 

After a few turns, she saw light. A breeze. And she hurried straight ahead, following it until the hall opened to a wide alley.

Ahead of her, she could see the balcony that she and Al Sah-him had reached, and her stomach flipped with relief. Maybe she could even find his room again before anyone noticed her.

But just as she thought it, that plan was crushed. Felicity skidded to a halt when _another_ one of the masked assassins rounded the corner, coming right towards her. 

They froze when they saw her, too. Just a brief moment of shock at the sight of her; her blistered and dirty feet. But then the figure started walking faster, coming right towards her. Coming _for_ her. 

Felicity really wasn’t prepared to run any more. Or to fight. The assassin got closer, and she started to back away, keeping her eyes on the threat.

There was no way to know if this person would help her or hurt her. No way to know if it was even the same one who had just tried to kill her. And no way to escape.

_But she’d damn well die trying._

Just as Felicity turned to run again, back in the direction of the danger she’d just avoided, the assassin yanked his mask down, revealing the only familiar face that she knew here. “Don’t run!” Al Sah-him hissed as he tossed the hood away from his head too. He raised his hands innocently, making certain that she could see him, recognize him, and know that he wouldn’t hurt her.

Felicity let out a strangled sob, feeling nothing but relief. Overwhelming relief.

Al Sah-him glanced over his shoulder as he closed the distance between them, checking behind her as well. And Felicity resisted the urge to throw her arms around him and cling for dear life.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked, his clenched jaw and furrowed eyebrows telling her that he was _mad_. Yet there was also something reminiscent of concern in his expression. In his eyes.

“Someone,” Felicity gasped, trying to catch her breath. “In my room.”

Al Sah-him’s eyes widened, his head swinging to check behind him again. Silently, he took her by the wrist, pulling her flush against his back as he started to walk. “Where are we going?” She squeaked, trying to keep up with him while she kept an eye on the darkened, creepy passageways behind them. 

He looked down at her, a single glance over his shoulder, and loosened his grip. “To see who tried to harm you, Felicity.”

“No,” she argued, shaking her head adamantly. “We can’t go back there! What if he’s still there!? Or she. I have no idea. My attacker could have been a woman. I mean, wouldn't be the first time, so I don't know why I'm assuming it was a man. Is that sexist? Maybe it was Nyssa again. Anyway, do we have to go back? I don't really want to—”

“I told you that no harm would come to you, did I not?”

“Well, yeah,” Felicity huffed. “But that obviously didn’t work out so well since I had to just fight off a psycho in my room and run for my life!”

Al Sah-him stopped, making Felicity bump right into him. She grabbed his hips, keeping herself from falling over as she collided with his back. She caught her breath, her forehead resting between his shoulder blades for a fleeting breath. Comfort. It was simply comfort. At the very least, she could trust that _this_ assassin wouldn’t kill her. And that was more than she could say for anyone else in this place.

Pushing the gratitude down, Felicity quickly stepped back, putting a couple of feet of distance between them. Although, admittedly, she didn’t want to go very far. Because she was scared. Not because he had a broad, strong back that for a moment, felt pretty good to be pressed up against.

_No...definitely had nothing to do with that._

You fought him off?” He asked, his voice incredulous.

Which, yeah, she took offense to.

“Yes!” Felicity snapped, “Don’t look so shocked!”

“I don’t mean to offend you,” he raised his hands, as if her anger intimidated him. And that just made her stand taller.

Big scary assassin guy cowers in fear of the tiny blonde girl.

She’d take it.

“Well,” Felicity lifted her chin. “Maybe your friend underestimated me just like you are, and that’s how I kicked the crap out of him.”

Cocking his head to the side, Al Sah-him scanned the space once more. His voice was deeper, more threatening as he said, “No friend of mine would lay a finger on you, Felicity Smoak.”

_Well then._

Felicity took a deep breath, reminding herself not to take that in a romantic, protective kind of way. But it was a little hard not to. 

_Those eyes._

It only took him a couple of minutes to get back to the open door of her little room, which truly made Felicity realize that the labyrinth of halls was just a series of turns designed to disorient an outsider like herself. Successfully. When they stepped inside again, they found the door closed and the room empty. Like it never happened. The evidence of her attack was all over it, though. The blankets thrown off the bed, the bench by the fireplace and a few candlesticks knocked over in the struggle with her assailant, wax spilled on the floor.

As Felicity turned around again, she saw Al Sah-him heading for the door. And she instantly _panicked._ “Wait! You’re leaving!?”

He froze, tipping his head in her direction. “I am just going to check the hall. What happened to the man keeping watch over you?”

 _Oh right._ Where _did_ that guy go?

Felicity blinked, “The intruder knocked him out. He was unconscious when I ran.” She pointed to the floor across from the doorway. “He was there.”

Al Sah-him sighed, hooking his hands onto his hips as he dropped his hooded head. It made him look so...defeated. Human. “He is probably either searching for you or he has gone to alert me of what happened.”

“Okay…” Felicity let out a deep breath. She was still exhausted. And scared. And she just wanted to go _home._ “Well, what now?”

“I have to get back,” he mumbled.

Felicity’s eyes widened again as she stepped towards him. Maybe she had become far too complicated for him. Maybe he didn’t care whether she lived or died. Maybe he’d rather let her take her chances than deal with the trouble that her presence was clearly causing. “Please,” she begged. “You can’t leave me down here.”

His eyebrows furrowed, watching her. “Felicity, I have no intention of that. You are coming with me.”

She was surprised when he took her wrist again, guiding her out of the room and through the hallways, back up to the main levels, and right to the door that she recognized as his bedroom. He ushered her inside, offering her a fresh, long sleeved black shirt and a pair of pants. Felicity took the clothes hesitantly, staring at him as he turned his back to her, focusing on tending to the fire on the other side of the room.

What she really wanted was a hot bath and to sleep for the next few days without being scared shitless. That would be ideal. But she accepted the help that Al Sah-him was offering her. Surely, it was better here than being alone in the room where she’d already been attacked. 

This man was the only kindness she had in this strange place. Her only safety. She was certain of that, even if she wasn’t certain of anything else anymore. As she slipped into the new clothes, letting them fall formless around her frame, Al Sah-him kept his back to her, continuing to bring a fire in the hearth to life. 

After a moment of watching him, Felicity cleared her throat, realizing that he wasn’t going to turn around until she prompted him to.

With a sigh, Al Sah-him stood up. The flames roaring behind him lit his face and most of the room, and Felicity was struck again by just how _beautiful_ the man was. Enchanted and tortured.

“You will stay here for the night,” he told her gently. “It is safe.” Then he gestured to the massive bed behind him. The thing could probably fit four people without a problem. But...

“Are you going to stay here too?”

She could barely see his eyes in the dimmed room, yet Felicity felt the heat of his gaze setting fire to her skin. They both knew that she wasn’t asking if he planned on staying with her. She was asking him if he _would._

Because she just didn’t want to be alone. He made her feel safe. And she needed to feel safe tonight. That was all that she meant. 

That was all that she felt.

Before he could answer, there was a knock at his door. Al Sah-him watched her for another moment, holding her gaze. Felicity lifted her chin, waiting for him to act first. Move away. Break the spell. _Something._

When the knock sounded again, he huffed out a breath, finally turning away from her. And as his eyes left hers, Felicity suddenly felt exhausted. Al Sah-him moved to the stone entryway, his feet graceful and deadly silent. He opened the door, and Felicity didn’t care enough to hide her curiosity. She was tired of hiding. She wanted answers.

Peeking around Al Sah-him’s shoulder, Felicity recognized the man in the doorway by the top half of his face. And she was surprised to see that his mask was down. The men who guarded her door never revealed their faces, so Felicity couldn’t help but stare at him, putting the rest of his features with the ones she’d been seeing day after day. He was a handsome man with eyes that seemed warmer when not clouded by the intimidating mask and hood. He had long, dark hair that fell past his chin, tied back from his face. And as Felicity realized how flustered he seemed, she also realized that he was the last one she’d seen before going to bed that night, the one who must have been outside her door when she’d been attacked.

“Sarab,” Al Sah-him greeted the man, his jaw tightening. Tension in his shoulders. Somehow, in the short while she’d known him, she’d learned to read his mood. At least to some degree. She could sense his anger, at least. Despite the temper that he seemed to be biting back, his face was smooth.

_But oh, the man was still an enigma._

Even when Al Sah-him wasn’t wearing a mask, he wore a mask.

A different kind of mask. One that kept his face stoic and cold, like the night she’d first laid eyes on him. Everything that this man thought, everything he felt, he kept bottled up inside. But Felicity was starting to recognize the cracks. 

Or maybe he was showing them to her.

In the doorway, Sarab’s eyes shifted to Felicity, his back stiffening. “You found her,” he breathed, as if in relief. “She is okay.” Except Felicity doubted that the relief in him had anything to do with concern for her wellbeing. Al Sah-him had told her that the guards she’d been spending so much time with were under orders to protect her. _His_ orders. Which this particular guard had obviously failed to do. Felicity imagined that his relief had more to do with his own safety than hers.

“And you are lucky for that, Sarab.”

_Yep._

Seeing the tension between the men, Felicity quickly began to feel it. She couldn’t handle any more drama tonight. “Okay,” she squeaked, stepping out from behind Al Sah-him. “So...what happened down there?”

For the first time, the man spoke to her directly. Apparently almost getting killed warranted an acknowledgement that she was an actual person now. “Someone came up behind me,” he told her. “I didn’t see anything. When I came to, you and the intruder were gone. We have been searching the tunnels, but there is no evidence of a breach in our walls.” The man nodded once, looking to his leader sheepishly as he finished, “It had to be one of our own.”

“Sarab,” Al Sah-him spoke slowly. “I want you to find out who entered Miss Smoak’s room. Come back when you have a name for me.”

The two men shared a look. Sarab nodded again in understanding. Without another word, he left. Al Sah-him closed the door again. The room became silent. Felicity stepped back, realizing that she didn’t need to be crowding him in the doorway anymore. She crossed her arms over her chest, walking to the middle of the large room as her eyes flickered around it. “You think he’ll be able to find out who it was?” she asked.

“I think he will find that it was not anyone who lives on the east side of the compound. None of my men would defy me.”

“What does that mean?” Felicity sighed, too tired to keep up with their hierarchy. When Sarab closed the door, he left them alone in the room again and seemingly took all of her adrenaline with him.

Al Sah-him looked back at Felicity, his eyes softening. And she knew that she must look as exhausted as she suddenly felt. For a moment, he looked conflicted, as if he wanted to brush the conversation off and say something dismissive. She narrowed her eyes, silently demanding him not to. With a sigh, he seemed to understand that avoiding the question would be impossible. He owed her answers and he knew it.

“Ra’s al Ghul must know that you are here.”

* * *

The first thing she saw was a beautiful view of the sky. The clouds were thick above the rising sun, like they were making room for it. The sand dunes looked like mountains, blues and purples melting together. And there was a breeze coming in from the balcony, through the open door. The air was still cool from the night before.

The blankets above her provided a cocoon of warmth. The silk sheets beneath her were cool and calming.

God. It was _nice._

For those few breaths, it felt like paradise. Peaceful. Quiet. Until she came to her senses and realized where she was, of course.

Felicity sat straight up in bed.

_In Al Sah-him’s bed._

After telling her that he suspected Ra’s al Ghul knew of her presence, he’d insisted that there was nothing they could do about it until morning because according to him, Ra's wouldn't come for her now that she was with him.

So, Felicity took the bed, and despite how spacious and _comfortable_ it was, Al Sah-him had made a pallet on the floor for himself and laid down without a word. She couldn't help but notice, with a fresh warmth in her heart for this stranger, that he positioned himself between her and the door. Whether to keep her inside or others out, she didn't know. And she didn't really care. There was a small part of her that wanted to tell him to join her, feeling guilty about him sleeping on the floor, but Felicity kept her mouth shut. And drifted off to sleep while she watched him, his blue eyes meeting hers just before she closed her eyes.

Her attention was drawn to the balcony again when she saw a shadow pass by. Felicity held her breath, her whole body in attention, until she noticed Al Sah-him step into view. He leaned against the railing of the balcony, his eyes on the horizon.

He looked exactly the same as any other time she’d seen him. No bed hair, no sleepy eyes. His expression was stoic and focused. 

She wished she had been able to keep her eyes open a little longer last night, if only to confirm that the man actually did sleep.

It had been one of the best nights of sleep she’d ever had. Ever. Including her own bed in her own apartment. The cult-ninja from 1926 had a more comfortable bed than her, and that just didn’t seem fair.

Maybe it was the bed that helped her sleep so soundly. That’s what she told herself, at least. Although somewhere deep down, she knew better. She knew it had something to do with the man that laid at her feet while she slept, like a guard dog who would attack fiercely and without question. She had no reason to trust the stranger so fully, but Al Sah-him had already proven that he would bare his teeth at anyone who threatened her.

His protection, and the intensity of that protection, was still a mystery to her.

Rolling off the bed, Felicity straightened her clothes and stretched, being as quiet as she possibly could. Yet, fascinatingly, Al Sah-him froze as soon as her feet touched the floor. As if he sensed her movements without looking at her. He didn’t acknowledge that he knew she was awake, but she could tell that he knew by the slight tip of his head in her direction. 

Instead of turning around, he let her come to him.

Felicity walked outside, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight, to stand beside him.

“Ra’s will want to meet you,” he informed her, his voice low.

_So, he wasn’t one for the ‘good morning, how’d you sleep?’ kind of conversation. That was fine._

“What about the waterfall?” Felicity sighed. She’d been curious about this place. Curious about this man. But her focus had to be on getting home. She couldn’t play around with assassin politics when she had a life and a fiancé to get back to. 

A literal _future_ to get back to.

“Felicity,” he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “It will not be safe. Ra’s either ordered someone to kill you or that person did it because they thought that it would please him. He will not let you go home.”

She shook her head, “So what do we do? You were supposed to take me _today._ Should we leave now then? I can't just stay here indefinitely!”

“Ra’s already knows that you are here. He would send men after us if we left now. It would turn this entire compound against us both if I were to defy him in that way. I am sorry, Felicity. I cannot take you back to the waterfall right now. Give me some time. I will find a way to get you home. Just let me make certain that Ra’s will not try to kill you in the meantime.” Felicity narrowed her eyes at him, and he huffed out a breath of exasperation, as if he could understand the annoyed look on her face perfectly. “Please.”

“This is insane,” she breathed. “I just want to go home.” And she really didn’t care if she sounded whiny or childish at that moment. She knew that Al Sah-him was doing everything he could to keep her safe. She believed that. But Felicity just wanted this nightmare to be over.

Cutting right through her, getting to the real point, Al Sah-him leveled her with a look. “I know that you are scared. You have every right to be. But I _will_ get you to the waterfall as soon as it is safe. I make you that promise, Felicity Smoak. You have my word.”

She simply nodded, not trusting her voice.

They stood in silence, each of them watching the sky like they had on the zenith that day.

But this time, it was harder to see the beauty in it. Not when her plan of getting home was put on an indefinite pause. The vast desert felt suffocating. 

The entire world was at her feet... And it looked like a prison.

After a few minutes, there was a knock on his door, and just like the previous night, Al Sah-him opened it to find the man he’d called Sarab. This time though, his mask covered his mouth, his hood donned. And this time, he spoke lowly to Al Sah-him in a language that Felicity did not understand.

As quickly as he’d come, the man left. 

Felicity looked at Al Sah-him in question as he pulled out another set of clothes from the chest at the end of his bed, silently holding it out for her. “What’s going on?”

“Ra’s is calling a meeting,” he answered calmly. “I can only guess that he would like to meet you. Since killing you did not work.”

Her eyes widened, struggling with the sleeves of the jacket as he helped her put the heavy thing on. “And you expect me to go?”

Al Sah-him shrugged, “I told you, after what happened last night, he knows that you are in Nanda Parbat. I would rather you stay close to me than leave you here alone.”

Truthfully, she couldn’t deny that she agreed with that. So as Al Sah-him left, Felicity followed. She followed him through the long, winding halls that were still confusing to her. Using the windows to keep herself centered, she knew that he was taking her towards the east wing, where he’d said Ra’s al Ghul and his men lived.

After a while; with him leading and her following blindly, the hallway opened up to a wide corridor. To her right and left, she could see more passageways that looked identical to the one they’d just emerged. They were on some sort of balcony that overlooked a great dining hall with floor to ceiling gothic style openings on both edges of the space. The room was structured in a rectangle with the eating area below, massive pillars holding it up and stone railings right in front of her. Straight across the space, Felicity noticed another wall with eight more doors, and even more that led off from the dining space, that she assumed led back to the narrow tunnels of Nanda Parbat. 

Between the openings that dropped straight into the sand dunes and all the doorways to the tunnels, there had to be nearly thirty escape routes from this room.

 _Nothing said_ League of Assassins _like a room with thirty escape routes._

Below them, there was a long table that stretched from one side of the room to the other, and it was full, people sitting in the chairs that lined each side. He’d told her that there were four hundred assassins in Nanda Parbat. Felicity clocked about thirty in the room below. She glanced up at Al Sah-him for some guidance, but he was unreadable thanks to the masks that hid their faces. 

As they started to descend the stairs, the other members glanced up in their direction, until every eye was on her. The chattering stopped. The room fell deathly silent. The mask did nothing to help her blend in. Felicity felt like she might as well have been dressed like a flamingo with the way she stood out, the way everyone stared at her.

Al Sah-him didn’t even flinch, walking to the head of the table and taking a seat in the large armchair made of iron. Felicity looked at him, and he looked back at her, just as the rest of the room was. His eyes flickered to the empty chair directly on his left, then back up at her. _Sit,_ he seemed to say.

Felicity huffed in annoyance at the wordless order, but she had no idea what he’d do if she ignored him. So she shuffled her feet over to where he was and sat down.

The room remained completely, eerily silent.

Most of the assassins diverted their eyes once she was sitting. Some of them watched her without shame. And even though she didn’t dare to make direct eye contact with any of them, she noticed when Al Sah-him gave each of the brave few a heated glare until they stopped staring at her.

As Felicity twisted her fingers in her lap, fighting her terrible urge to fill the silence with babbling, everyone at the table suddenly stood up, catching her attention. She glanced around at them, seeing that they all had their eyes on one of the passageways. Al Sah-him held out his hand, a quiet sigh escaping him, and Felicity grasped his fingers tightly, following his lead as she stood on shaking legs.

As soon as she was on her feet, he dropped her hand. 

And just then, a man emerged from the passageway. He was dressed head to toe in black. He didn’t wear a mask over his face, Felicity instantly noticed, but he had on a long cloak that dragged behind him as he walked, the hood of it pulled up over his head. He moved just as silently as the other assassins, only looking at them once he’d reached the table.

The man stood behind the chair that was perched directly across from Al Sah-him. He glanced around at the faces, his eyes lingering on her, his head cocking to the side. But he didn’t speak to her. Instead, he waved a hand at all of them. “Sit.”

_Ra’s al Ghul._

It had to be.

Once everyone was seated, the leader pulled out his own chair and sat down. Felicity wondered why this man held all the power. Al Sah-him said that he oversaw one side of the building while this Ra’s guy oversaw the other. Even where they sat at the table, one man on one side and the other’s place opposite him, they seemed like they were equals. But that wasn’t how Al Sah-him had described it. He’d said that he was the next in line. The next to take over. And the one who would marry Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter in order to make the deal official.

“Al Sah-him,” the eerie man’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “I see you have brought a stranger into our home.”

Beside her, Al Sah-him stiffened. “She is no threat to us,” he answered quietly. Confidently. “And she is under my protection.”

Across the table, Ra’s raised his eyebrows. Felicity felt her cheeks getting red again as everyone else at the table gave her sideways glances. She could sense that this kind of thing wasn’t typical. But none of them had tried to kill her yet (at least not today), so maybe she would be okay.

“We will discuss that later,” the commanding, frightening leader responded, his voice calm but resolute. Al Sah-him had been firm as well, in saying that she was safe. But Ra’s seemed just as iron-willed, in saying that her safety was up for debate. 

And that sent a chill down Felicity’s spine. 

Without another word, Ra’s al Ghul continued. “I called this meeting because the Ninth Circle will be entering our territory. I have chosen you all to enforce the perimeter. Hunt while you are away. Bring back what you can. Women and children will remain on the grounds of the compound for the next few days to be safe.”

_The Ninth Circle?_

_Al Sah-him was leaving?_

Felicity watched Ra’s al Ghul as she tried to wrap her head around what any of this meant, his hand twisting one of the many rings he wore on his fingers. And then she glanced up, feeling his eyes on her. “You, stranger, will stay here, of course. I would like to keep an eye on you myself, seeing that Al Sah-him has risked his own life and the lives of his brothers and sisters to hide you within our walls.”

Her self-proclaimed-protector let out a growl, “She comes with me.”

At that, the leader of the League of Assassins leveled him with a harsh look, something of a fire sparking in his eyes. “You will go with the group,” he ordered, leaving no room for arguments. His voice made it clear that he wasn’t about to entertain any other ideas. “You will protect your people, Al Sah-him. I will handle the stranger.”

The tension in the room, the tension between the two men, reached an all time high since they’d sat down. It was clear that Al Sah-him had a lot of power in Nanda Parbat, but it was also clear that Ra’s had more of it. 

And the idea of being forced to stay here without the one person who had kept her safe...was _terrifying._

But Al Sah-him wasn’t backing down. He continued to stare across the table at the man, as if in challenge. And Ra’s al Ghul stared right back.

Eventually, _finally_ , Ra’s was the one to give in. Well...it was more like he compromised. “You are all dismissed," the man mumbled, waving his hand at the group. "Pack your things. Prepare for the journey. You leave at sundown.”

Everyone at the table stood up quickly, no one saying a word as they dispersed through the various exits. But Al Sah-him stayed. An unspoken agreement between the two men that their conversation wasn’t finished, but they were choosing not to speak about it in front of the others.

So, Felicity stayed too.

“Tell me, child,” Ra’s addressed her once the room was clear. “How did you come to be here?”

Her eyes shifted from the intimidating man in front of her, to the one by her side. 

Al Sah-him tightened his jaw, not looking away from the Demon’s Head. But he lifted his chin, one sharp movement that she somehow knew was his way of telling her not to answer. So she kept her lips sealed.

Ra’s chuckled as he watched the exchange, and the sound surprised her. “All right then, son,” his voice was quiet. Amused. There was a fondness in the way he spoke, the way he looked at Al Sah-him. A polar opposite to the intensity of moments before. Without the other members, Ra’s almost seemed to relax. He seemed to wield all the power when the room was full of people, but when it was just him and Al Sah-him, Felicity got the sense that things weren’t so simple. “ _You_ tell me how this woman found herself here.”

The man beside her pinched his lips, “I cannot be certain of that yet. Which is why I will need more time with her to find out.”

“And...what are your methods to get those answers?”

Felicity’s eyes slid to Al Sah-him, knowing that Ra’s wasn’t asking if he’d said _please_. He was asking if Al Sah-him had tortured her.

“If you refuse to speak, Al Sah-him, you may go,” Ra’s waved his hand dismissively as his question went unanswered. “Leave us. I would like to speak to the girl alone.” 

Thankfully, her ninja-looking protector shook his head, his eyes blazing with anger as he stared down the older man. His thoughts seemed to match Felicity’s perfectly.

_Hell no to that._

Ra’s al Ghul arched an eyebrow, “you defy me now, my son? It has been years since I have seen such... _fire_ in you. Do you waver in your trust?”

“No…”

“Then leave us.”

Felicity looked up at Al Sah-him, her eyes widening as he suddenly stood up from the table.

_That was it? Just like that, he’d abandon her?_

“Don’t,” Felicity pleaded, speaking for the first time.

His eyes met hers, holding her gaze as if he wanted her to understand something that she couldn’t even begin to wrap her head around. She grabbed his hand, latching on. Because she did _not_ want to be alone with the man who called himself the ‘head of the demon.’

“Hm,” Ra’s leaned back in his chair, watching them curiously as he tapped a finger against the hard wood table, his ring clinking. “Al Sah-him, you have my blood that no harm will come to your stranger. I only wish to speak with her.”

Felicity blinked at the words, feeling Al Sah-him’s hand tighten around hers. Then he leaned in closer, ducking his head to whisper in her ear. “I have to go, Miss Smoak. If we both want to survive this, he needs to know that I trust him. And it seems that he wants _you_ to trust him as well.”

“What are you talking about?” Felicity hissed back, her eyes shifting from him to Ra’s.

Al Sah-him sighed, his lips grazing her ear as he quietly explained. “An oath of blood means that should any harm come to you, by his doing or another’s...I will have the right to kill him. He knows that I will not hesitate to put a sword through his heart. I am sure that this is all hard for you to understand, but Ra’s does not go back on his word. If you bleed, he will bleed. That is our way.”

“Oh,” Felicity glanced between them again.

Well, that definitely sounded... _intense._ But their crazy little cult pact meant very little to her. She’d still rather not risk her life on their version of a pinky promise...and yet Ra’s words seemed to have convinced Al Sah-him. 

“I will be right outside, Felicity,” Al Sah-him mumbled.

Then he walked away, his silent feet leading him across the room and through one of the passageways. He didn’t look back as he retreated. And then Felicity was alone...with someone that down in her soul, she knew was pure evil.

Keeping her eyes trained on the wooden table, Felicity tried not to let it show that she was completely _freaking out._ She didn’t know what Ra’s wanted or what a blood oath really meant or why Al Sah-him had so easily accepted this. But she didn’t like it. As the seconds ticked by, she remained silent, not meeting the demon’s eyes.

He was looking at her, though.

Studying her.

Eventually, he spoke. “You do not need to tell me how you traveled here, child.”

 _Good._ Because if he didn’t trust her now, then surely her _insane_ story about the waterfall would make him think she was a liar. A traitor. _Khayin._

“I already know.”

Felicity's head snapped up towards the man, seeing a slight smile pull at his lips as he observed her. Leaning closer, Ra’s al Ghul spoke as if he was sharing a secret. “I loved a woman once. She came through the water, just as I suspect you have come. Am I correct?”

She let out a sharp breath, “What do you mean?”

Ra’s al Ghul smiled, the expression unsuitable for the death that lived in his eyes. “You are not the first to be drawn to those waters, my dear. They have power that even I cannot possess. But you...you are special. Just as my love was special. I am very curious to find out why that is. What is your name?

“Felicity Smoak,” she answered quietly. If Ra’s knew something about the waterfall, and if there was another woman who had experienced the same thing she did...then she needed to give answers to get answers. “I just...I want to go home. I didn’t mean to...I didn’t come here on purpose.”

“Oh,” Ra’s al Ghul hummed. “I am sure you did not. But the water brought you here for a reason. I hope to learn what that reason is.”

_Same here, buddy._

“How did the other woman get home?” Felicity asked. She had to know. Ra’s seemed to be the only one who might be able to help her get back where she belonged. Back to her life. Back to Ray.

Her heart was in her throat, afraid of the answer. 

Ra’s sighed, glancing away. “We did not realize it at first...but my love was sent to help me survive so that Nanda Parbat could continue to survive. That was her purpose. That was why the water carried her to me. She was sent to me so that she could save my life. Unfortunately, regretfully...I could not save hers.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Ra's is weird, huh? Really weird. Let us know what you thought of the chapter (and Ra's al Ghul's weirdness) in the comments!


	6. Ta-er al-Sahfer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!  
> Thank y'all so much for your continued love and support of this fic. Ellie and I truly appreciate all your comments and kudos!  
> This chapter has a bit going on - a new character is introduced, a few questions are answered, a few more pop up, & of course a little cliffhanger at the end, because what would a chapter be without a cliffhanger? 😉  
> As always thank you to Magda for the beautiful gif! We're forever obsessed with all of them 😍
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy ♥️  
> \- xoxo, Caitlin 😘

* * *

Three days.

Three days since her talk with Ra’s al Ghul.

Three days since Al Sah-him left. 

Three days since she felt even the slightest bit safe. 

For the past seventy two hours, Felicity caught herself looking over her shoulder at the smallest noise. Whether it be soft chatter, a low creak, or a drip of water, it didn’t matter. She didn’t feel  _ safe _ . 

Not with Al Sah-him away from Nanda Parbat. 

Even with Ra’s’ promise to Al Sah-him that no harm would come to her, different scenarios ran rampant through her brain. Especially after the two close calls she already endured since being there. Her life had been under the protection of Al Sah-him since she arrived, his promises of no one harming her at the forefront of her mind. She believed him. She knew that when he found out who had gone against his orders, they would be dead. She knew that. 

_ She trusted him. _

Nanda Parbat was lonely without him. Felicity could always count on the comfort of his company at least twice a day, whether it be sharing breakfast together, then having a quiet dinner in her room, or having him come to take her for a walk around the massive compound and receive a little more insight on this place. 

It was a nice escape from what was going on around her. 

_ He _ was a nice escape. 

_ God, when had that happened?  _

Being able to have a normal conversation with someone;  _ well, as normal as a conversation could be when you’re 94 years in the past,  _ was a privilege. She realized during her stay at Nanda Parbat that simple things such as holding a conversation with someone was something to cherish. Hell, even a decent meal was hard to come by. 

_ Never would have considered that to be something of importance two weeks ago.  _

But for the last three days, she hadn’t had any of those escapes. She’d had to be on alert at all times. 

Yes, there was a no kill order in place, but that didn’t make her any less wary. Felicity knew that if Ra’s al Ghul wanted, he could kill her without batting an eye. 

Having to put her faith in a man that was one of the most dangerous men in this time period was not very comforting. Especially when she knew in her gut that he was pure evil. 

She thought back to their conversation several times over the course of the last three days. The secret that he had willingly told her, one that made her question everything she’d learned since she’d arrived. 

He’d loved a woman once. One that he believed had gotten there the same way Felicity had. Was this woman also from the future? Had she been just as frightened of Ra’s and all that he stood for like she was? Did she try to escape? Why was she brought here? 

_ So many questions, and not nearly enough answers. _

Naturally, Felicity tried to pry the answers from Ra’s to no avail. She hadn’t been surprised at his unwillingness to answer her questions, but was still frustrated nonetheless. 

She’d been upfront with him in the most careful way possible, telling him that all she wanted was answers. 

All she wanted to do was learn why she had been transported here. 

All she wanted to do was go home. 

Ra’s left the conversation without giving her one of those answers, but promising to keep the no kill order in place while Al-Sah-him was away. 

_ What good would that do her when people seemed to not give a shit about orders like that anyway? _

Trying to keep her head up, she continued with the routine she’d crafted as best she could without Al Sah-him there. 

Before he’d left on his mission, he’d made it very clear, to her and to his guards, that she was to stay in his room while he was gone. His reasoning being that it would be safer, and no one would dare go in his space without permission or him being there. 

Knowing she’d be safe in his room, but possibly go a bit stir crazy, she’d asked him if it would be okay to venture out for a meal if she so chose. Al Sah-him pondered the question before reluctantly agreeing, telling her that under no uncertain terms she would go out without  _ at least _ one bodyguard. 

Of course she was grateful for his thoughtfulness and protective nature, thanking him with a small smile before he walked out the door with his League armor in place and a bag with essentials across his back. He’d smiled back at her, giving her shoulder a squeeze and sending her a wink that made her stomach do a flip. 

_ She was in trouble.  _

She’d established a schedule that kept her days occupied. After waking up, she’d lay in bed for a bit -  _ because who in their right mind just hopped up and started the day like some maniac if they didn’t have to? _ She’d get ready for the day - washing up and grabbing whatever breakfast had been left outside the door that morning. She’d eat leisurely before making her way into Al Sal-him’s secret library, where she’d spend countless hours perusing his onslaught of books. 

Having that outlet is what kept her going. Knowing there was this little corner of Nanda Parbat that no one except she and Al Sah-him knew about, was everything. She’d get lost in the sea of books, pulling them one by one from the shelf and reading each summary.

It was her safe place. 

After what felt like hours, she’d emerge from her favorite secret spot with at least one book, closing the hatch and finding the secret lever that hid her sacred space. Lucky for her, Al Sah-him had shown her how to open and close the door a few days after their exploration of Nanda Parbat. He’d told her that he knew the library was something that would peak her interest and keep her entertained during her stay there. 

To say she was grateful would be an understatement. 

Meandering out onto the balcony, Felicity would plop down onto one of the cozy chairs that overlooked the community. Whatever book she picked out the day would be finished within hours - her favorites so far being The Great Gatsby and Moby Dick. 

Not soon after, there’d be a knock at the door with a guard on the other side informing her of dinner. The first night, she’d been feeling cooped up, so when the guard asked if she’d be eating in the dining room or in the confines of the room, she’d chosen to take a chance. 

Entering the dining room was exactly as she expected it would be without Al-Sah-him there to be her pillar of protection. The looks, murmerings, and outright rude comments she received were overwhelming. Comments referring to her as  _ khayin  _ floated around her like a cloud, whispers of her being a part of the league’s harem, and other vile things she wished she could put out of her mind ran rampant through her ears. 

The one bright spot was a young assassin, Ta-er al-Sahfer. The moment she’d seen Felicity standing at the entrance to the dining room the first night, she made sure she felt as comfortable as one could in a situation such as this. She’d sauntered up to her, immediately making eye contact and motioning her to the right side of the room where she’d been eating on her own. 

She’d smiled and relayed that Al-Sah-him had spoken with her prior to leaving the compound, asking her to keep an eye on her if Felicity were to ever make an appearance in the dining room or if she were to see her outside of his room.

Hearing that made Felicity feel just a tiny bit better. Al Sah-him clearly trusted Ta-er al-Sahfer enough to ask her to look out for her. Sharing a meal with her and having even an hour’s worth of company a day would help her until Al Sah-him returned.

It’s where Felicity found herself currently. Three days worth of meals with her had been just the company she was looking for while she awaited Al Sah-him’s return. 

Sitting across from the pretty blonde in all of her league garb, looking as threatening as ever eating some pretty scrumptious food. It was as if the food they’d been serving her in the room was made to taste terrible. 

“Not going to lie, if I had known that the food in the dining room was infinitely better than the food they served me in Al Sah-him’s room, I would have been eating in the dining room all along.” Felicity stated in between bites of her yummy chicken dish.

Her companion chuckled, taking a sip from her glass of wine. “They still look at you as a traitor. Even though Al Sah-him has stated otherwise. Making your food as sludge was the chef’s way of making life even harder for you.” 

Felicity sighed, “Well, the joke’s on them because nothing tastes as bad as my cooking,” she chuckled, taking another bite.

Her companion laughed, “Not a gourmet chef before you came here, I take it?”

“Not even a little bit. You know those people who burn water? Yeah, they were talking about me,” she explained, her face grimacing at the memory of her last failed dish. “My mom came to town to visit, so I thought I’d try and make a nice meal. We ended up going out at the end of the night. 

Ta-er al-Sahfer laughed, “Oh god, what happened?” she asked, leaning in a bit. 

“Well, I thought I’d make a pot roast with roasted potatoes and veggies. Sounds simple, right? Well, I ended up forgetting to turn the crockpot on so the pot roast was still raw, I burned the potatoes to a crisp, and we’re not even going to talk about the veggies. It was a complete mess. I’m very thankful that my fiance has better cooking skills than I do. Even if he isn’t the best.” She shook her head, taking a sip of her water. 

Ta-er al-Sahfer’s brow wrinkled as she stared at Felicity in confusion. “What's a...crockpot?” 

Felicity froze, her eyes blowing wide before trying to compose herself quickly. “It’s...um...another word for an oven. Have you never heard of it?” she asked, knowing full well what her answer would be. 

Her brows came together further, eyes squinting as she cocked her head slightly at Felicity, “No, I can’t say I have heard that term before...very interesting.”

Felicity smiled, trying not to give away her slight panic at her utter stupidity. Of course crockpots weren’t invented in 1926. How could she have let something like that slip? If she was going to be out having dinners in the dining room with league members, she needed to be much more careful about slipping up and letting things like crockpots slip out of her mouth. Lucky for her, Ta-er al-Sahfer seemed to be one of the good guys and wouldn’t press her on such matters. Now if it were Nyssa on the other hand? 

_ Yikes. She’d be screwed. _

Shifting in her seat, Felicity quickly changed the subject. “I feel like I’ve been so rude! We’ve been having dinner for the last three days and I haven’t even asked how you came to be a member of the League.”

Her dinner companion immediately stiffened, taking a deep breath in, she shut her eyes a moment before opening them and staring at Felicity. “I was a lost soul for quite a while. Someone from the league found me on my worst day.” She paused, fidgeting with the napkin in her lap. 

“My father was a police officer. He’d have people after him all the time. So it wasn’t anything new when he told us there was someone else that was holding a grudge against him. My mother and sister were more worried about this than I was, I knew things would pass eventually.” She stopped, taking another deep breath, shutting her eyes tight. 

When she looked at Felicity again, the emotion in her blue eyes overflowed. “That was before I came home to find my family slaughtered.” 

Felicity gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, eyes opening wide. 

Ta-er al-Sahfer continued, “I didn’t know what to do. My entire family was gone, and I had no one left. I knew it was the person who was after my dad, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind about that. But I didn’t know whether they were going to be after me or not, so I ran. I ran as fast as I could out of the city. No sooner had I left with just the clothes on my back, did a member of the league find me. They said they knew of my situation and that they could offer me more than I could get on my own. I’ve been here ever since,” she finished, a light sheen of tears glazing her eyes. 

Felicity sat in her seat, stunned at what she’d just heard. “I am so incredibly sorry for your losses, Ta-er al-Sahfer. I can’t begin to imagine what that’s like. You didn’t deserve that.” 

A small smile briefly graced her dinner companion’s face, “Thank you. I miss them every day. I am happy here though. It’s not so bad once you get used to it. Not all the people are horrible.”

Felicity smiled, “That I know.” She looked to her new friend, pausing a moment. 

“May I ask you a question?” she asked, her eyes locking with her. 

Ta-er al-Sahfer quirked an eyebrow, placing her hands on the table. “You may. But I can’t promise I’ll have an answer for you.”

Felicity nodded, taking a deep breath. Many questions had been circling her brain concerning the group that Al-Sah-him had been ordered to go after. She knew she wouldn’t be able to get many answers from him when he got back, and god knows she wouldn’t be able to get any from Ra’s himself. 

“What exactly is the Ninth Circle?” she asked hesitantly. 

Her companion took a deep breath, sitting up in her seat a bit. “That is information you are not privy to, Felicity. Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

It was Felicity’s turn to quirk an eyebrow in interest. “And why is that?” 

“It’s a group that is not one you want to associate yourself with. They are very dangerous people who are nothing but trouble to the league. You must keep as far away from them as you can while you are here.” 

Noting Ta-er al-Sahfer’s seriousness, she nodded accepting her answer. “May I ask you one more question?”

She narrowed her eyes, nodding slightly. 

“What do you know about Al-Sah-him? I’ve been spending all this time with him over the course of the past few weeks, and I hardly know anything about him..” she trailed off, adjusting awkwardly in her seat. 

“That is because Al-Sah-him is not one to emote his thoughts or feelings. What I can tell you is all I really know about Al-Sah-him. He arrived a few years before I did. From what I understand, he was brought in with some other man. Ra’s immediately saw that his skill level was unmatched to anyone else in the league. He knew at that point that Al-Sah-him was going to take over for him.” she paused, leaning in a bit.

“When Al-Sah-him was informed of Ra’s’ decision, he was not happy. He did not want to be the heir to the demon. His friend who accompanied him here had a great deal to do with his hesitance. It is unclear why exactly. A few months after Al-Sah-him was informed of Ra’s decision, his friend seemed to disappear. Whether he ran off, went back to where they came from, or Ra’s had him...dealt with, no one knows.”

Felicity’s eyes widened with the new information Ta-er al-Sahfer was giving her. She couldn’t help but wonder if Al-Sah-him actually wanted this life. Was this truly his decision? Was he being blackmailed into it? Who was his friend and where did he go? So much new information to think about. 

Before she could ask Ta-er al-Sahfer anything, a tall guardsman came bounding in, his eyes wild as he searched the room. Ta-er al-Sahfer quickly stood, her eyes locked with the guard. He came up to her, glancing at Felicity as she sat there in silence. She watched as he leaned in, whispering something in her the young assassin’s ear. 

Her eyes widened as he finished his thought, nodding her head swiftly as the man walked back out of the room. 

“What was that? What’s going on, Ta-er al-Sahfer?”

Her companion began gathering her things from the table, her head clearly not there with her. Finally after what felt like minutes, she looked at her, her eyes in a bit of a panic. “It’s Al Sah-him. He has been injured. They’re bringing him in now. I must go.”

Felicity’s heart sank. 

_ Was he okay? _

_ What were his injuries? _

_ How had he been injured? _

_ What kind of shape was he in?  _

_ Who had done this? _

Reaching out to grab Ta-er al-Sahfer before she could leave, “Please, let me go with you? I need to see if he’s alright...”

Felicity watched as the other woman hesitated, unsure whether or not she should let Felicity come or not. After a few moments, she nodded, motioning for her to get up. “I’ll take you back to Al Sah-him’s room. You can wait for him there. I understand that’s where they’re bringing him.”

Felicity jumped up, not hesitating in the slightest as she took off with her new friend. 

So many emotions ran through her head at the moment, so many questions. But one emotion stood out to her, one she didn’t quite understand. 

Fear.

* * *

The last few hours had been an absolute blur. After the announcement that Al-Sah-him was back, but injured, Ta-er al-Sahfer had rushed her back to his quarters without a word, leaving her with a guard and running off to find her injured protector. Felicity had paced the room more times than she could count, thoughts swirling through her head. 

_ Had it been the Ninth Circle who hurt him? _

_ Who exactly are they? _

_ What does Al-Sah-him have to do with them? _

_ Will he be okay?  _

_ He had to be okay. _

For a woman who hated mysteries, she wished she knew more about this group. Not knowing who these people were that he was fighting, what they wanted from the League and why, was bugging her. Thinking back to his departure, she should’ve asked more questions. 

_ Not that she could have looked into them at all if she had the information...damn 1926 and their lack of technology.  _

Needing something to pass the time, she picked up her latest book of choice, Swann’s Way. She flipped mindlessly through the pages, not really paying attention to the words. Her mind was elsewhere and she knew it. 

Sighing heavily, she tossed the book beside the bed, flopping down next to it. 

The fear that she felt in her heart was yet another thing she didn’t quite understand. In theory, this man should be nothing to her. He was someone who was protecting her, who was someone who helped her in this very strange world she was living in. Aside from that, she knew next to nothing about him. 

Sure, they had talked and gotten to know each other a bit during their walks through the compound and their dinners together, but the level of which this fear gripped her heart was something she’d never experienced before. 

_ How had this man become so important to her? When had he become more than the man who was protecting her? _

The moment the guards brought him into the room, the air left her lungs. 

He looked absolutely terrible. 

His league armor was soaked with blood throughout the torso and right arm, his face littered with cuts and bruises, along with his bloodied hands. Felicity could tell that he had been through something she could never dream of. 

She stood frozen, watching as the men hurried around her, preparing the bed for him. Ta-er al-Sahfer entered the room next, along with another man she didn’t recognize. He wasn’t wearing a league uniform, but was dressed in a dress shirt and tie, along with nice pants. He carried a large bag with him, hurrying to Al-Sah-him’s side. 

As soon as he opened his bag, she knew he must be the on call doctor to help him as much as he could. 

Ta-er al-Sahfer came to stand silently next to her as the doctor began to examine his patient. 

“Shouldn’t he be taken to a hospital? His injuries look more severe than any home doctor can do...what  _ are  _ his injuries?” Felicity whispered, worry encasing her voice. 

Ta-er al-Sahfer sighed, “It looks like he was stabbed in the abdomen and shoulder. The doctor says he thinks he can treat it.” Her new friend paused, glancing at her before continuing, “We don’t believe in hospitals in the league. This man, Dr. Schwartz has been our on call doctor for years now. If anyone can help Al-Sah-him, it’s him. Just be patient.”

Felicity nodded, turning her attention back to the doctor and Al-Sah-him. He was still unconscious, but breathing normally from what she could tell. Not daring to go near him, she stayed rooted in her spot with worried eyes. 

Seeing him lay there so vulnerable and beaten, broke Felicity’s heart. Even if she’d only known him a short period of time, this man had been her protector, the one person that stood up for her when she needed it during her time in the compound. She knew he was strong and could pull through anything, but in this moment, she had to admit to herself...she was fearful.

Fearful for him, fearful for her, fearful for what was yet to come. 

Next thing she knew, Ta-er al-Sahfer was steering her to the couches and asking her to sit down and take a rest. She let out a long breath, realizing in that moment that she had been holding her breath the entire time she’d been watching him. 

“He’s going to be okay. I’m sure of it. Trust me, Al Sah-him has endured far more than a couple stab wounds. I’ve seen him on the brink of death many times.” Her new friend looked down at her, a comforting smile playing on her lips. 

Felicity glanced up at her, “I guess I’m just not used to seeing someone I ca—” she paused, catching herself before she could speak what she already knew was true. She cared for him. “Someone I...know like this.” 

Ta-er al-Sahfer’s smile grew for a moment before composing herself. “Yes, I understand that it would be difficult seeing someone you  _ know _ in this state. It’s not easy for many people, I guess I’ve just been here long enough to have grown out of my squeamish phase.” She chuckled, her eyes drifting to where Felicity’s gaze was. 

At that moment, Dr. Schwartz seemed to finish his exam of Al Sah-him, gathering his things and walking toward the two women. 

“He’ll be alright, his abdomen wound seems to have missed any internal organs, and the wound on his shoulder is a flesh wound. He needs to rest and stay in bed for a week or so and he needs to restrain from any strenuous activities.” he paused, eyes wandering between the women. 

“Al Sah-him will be groggy for a while, as I gave him drugs to ease the pain of both wounds. Someone will need to stay with him while he recovers.”

“I’ll do it.” 

Both Dr. Schwartz and Ta-er al-Sahfer turned to her, their eyes questioning. 

_ Had she just volunteered to be his nurse? _

“I mean—” Felicity hesitated, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. “I mean unless Nyssa wants to stay with him? That is his fiance, so maybe he’d be more comfortable with her here. Maybe  _ she _ would be more comfortable with me  _ not _ here. After all I don’t want her to try and ki—” she stopped, her mouth immediately closing.

Ta-er al-Sahfer’s eyes narrowed at her, her eyebrow lifting before speaking, “Nyssa isn’t one for taking care of people, especially under these circumstances.” Her eyes drifted to Al Sah-him, “So if you’d like to stay with him, I don’t see a problem with that...”

Felicity’s eyes followed hers, watching the limp body of her protector. “Okay, if you don’t see a problem with it, then I’ll stay and watch over him. I don’t mind. It’s the least I can do for him after all he’s done for me.” 

Both nodded, making their way toward the door. “If anything changes, don’t hesitate to let one of the guards know, they know how to reach me.” Dr. Schwartz threw over his shoulder as he walked out the door. 

Ta-er al-Sahfer stopped to grip her arm. “If you need me, I’ll be around. Let me know of any changes too.” A small smile appeared on her lips as she squeezed Felicity’s arm. 

“Thank you.”

The door slipped shut, immediately locking from the outside. 

_ Some things never change. _

Alone again in the room, she turned to the battered man in bed, walking toward him slowly. Pulling up a chair next to him, she sat down quietly, her eyes raking over his face. He was sleeping soundly, the drugs clearly keeping him from feeling any pain. He had cuts and bruises all across his face, a split lip, and a black eye. 

_ For as terrible as he looked, he was still as handsome as ever.  _

She stopped.

_ No Felicity, stop thinking of him like that. It will not end well. For anyone. _

Taking his hand, she squeezed it lightly, “What have you gotten yourself into?” she whispered quietly. 

Ever since she’d met him, he had been the pillar of strength and resilience, her protector. Seeing him laying in his bed, weak and limp was something she never thought would happen. It was harder to see than she thought it would be. 

Trailing her finger lightly over the top of his hand, she sighed, “You’re going to be fine, Al Sah-him. Everything will be fine.” 

As she turned away, movement caught her eye. With her hand in his, he wiggled one of his fingers, as if to let her know that he was still with her. 

Gasping softly, she stood up, her eyes fixed on his face. “Al Sah-him? Can you hear me?” Keeping her finger trailing lightly atop his hand, she brought her other hand to his face, smoothing it across his forehead. 

“Water.” he stated faintly, as he attempted to open his eyes. 

Felicity shushed him, reaching next to her. She quickly grabbed the glass of water the doctor left. Lifting his head gently, she placed the glass to his lips, tipping it up for him. He gulped down the liquid as if it was the first time he’d had it in years. 

Stroking his forehead with her fingers, she set the glass beside him carefully. “Shhh, it’s okay. You’re going to be okay, Al-Sah-him. The doctors said you’re going to be fine. Just rest.”

Unable to decide whether she was trying to convince herself or Al-Sah-him, she continued to repeat the words, running her fingers in his hair and over his forehead. She knew that when she was feeling hurt or ill, the feeling of someone massaging her head made her feel better almost instantly. She wanted to do whatever she could to make Al-Sah-him feel that too.

After a few moments, she began to slow her fingers, resting her hand gently on his head. He appeared to be sleeping soundly, when suddenly his eyes fluttered open. His blue orbs bore into hers as they had many times since she first arrived to Nanda Parbat.

“Oliver.” 

Felicity’s hand stopped moving in his hair as she held her breath. His eyes locked with hers, unwavering in the moment.

“Oliver.” he repeated. “My name is Oliver.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about that name drop though?! What do y'all think of Ta-er al-Sahfer? Felicity secretly wouldn't let anyone else take care of Al-Sah-him 🥰
> 
> Let us know what you think!!
> 
> Caitlin: smoakqueenfam (twitter & tumblr)  
> Ellie: olicitysbett (twitter), smoaking-greenarrow (tumblr)


	7. Poisoned Arrows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Just wanted to say thank you all for sticking with this fic and all the amazing responses you've given us. We do our best to motivate each other, but getting feedback from all of you and hearing how much you're enjoying it makes us even more excited to keep it going. We were just saying the other day that it's crazy we're already on chapter 7 :o Time's flying! We're having fun! We hope you guys are, too!  
> -xoxo, Ellie

For a man that could threaten more violence with his pinky finger than Felicity could with her entire body, Al Sah-him looked strangely peaceful as she watched him sleep. Somehow, despite the fact that he’d been unconscious for hours, Felicity felt safer while she was sitting next to his bed than she did when she was on her own. It wasn’t just his authority that kept her safe, it was an air about him. There seemed to be a force field that surrounded the guy; one that didn’t care if he had his eyes open or not...no one in the League of Assassins dared to cross it.

And Felicity didn’t mind stepping into that force field. It was actually kind of nice. For the most part, the other black hooded assassins left them alone. They came in to check on Al Sah-him periodically, none of them saying a word to her or about her while she continued to hover over him.

After the group stabilized him, Felicity remained perched in that chair, doing her best to focus on one of the books she retrieved from Al Sah-him’s secret library. But she mostly watched him. The way his chest rose and fell with each breath he took. How his eyes fluttered beneath his lids, his lips tilted down, as if he was dreaming. Not that the dreams seemed particularly amusing, but Felicity couldn’t resist the opportunity to see him like this. He was much less broody when he was sleeping.

Al Sah-him hadn’t said anything else since the minutes after his friends brought him into the room, and she was a little disappointed that he didn’t talk in his sleep.

But he’d said a name. His name.  _ Oliver. _

As soon as he said it, it just seemed perfect. Al Sah-him didn’t suit him. Felicity had never felt like the name sat right with her. But when he’d sleepily mumbled  _ Oliver _ ...her own head echoed with familiarity. As if something inside of her was answering,  _ of course. _

_ Of course you’re Oliver. _

It was part of the reason she couldn’t stop staring at him. His stubbled jaw. His broad shoulders and thick muscles. His gorgeous blue eyes that she  _ missed _ .

God, she  _ missed  _ being able to see his eyes.

_ When the hell had she gotten so attached to him? _

“And what am I supposed to do with you?” she whispered to herself, setting the book aside and leaning closer to  _ Oliver _ .

His eyebrows furrowed, like he’d heard her question and didn’t like it. And then a moment later, his lips began to move, whispering something back. Felicity stood up, carefully placing one knee on the bed so she could lean over him, trying to get closer to hear what he was saying without disturbing his sleep. Or his wounds.

She sighed in annoyance as she listened to the mumbled, unintelligible words as he gently shook his head.

Just as Felicity was moving away, back towards the chair that she’d claimed her own, Oliver let out a low whine, his head snapping to the side.

She froze where she was, still hovering above him, and watched as his hands clenched into fists. His expression was twisted in anguish, which made Felicity’s stomach twist with fear. “Oliver,” she whispered gently, clearly seeing that he was having some kind of a nightmare.

Leaning back, Felicity sat down next to him, careful not to move the bed too much. Without another thought, she picked up his hand, “Oliver,” she tried to soothe, “It’s okay. You’re safe.” 

His breath grew shallow and short, his voice pained as he let out another tortured sound.

It made something in Felicity break, but she didn’t have the time or reason to wonder why. The pain that came out of him pierced through the silence in the room and cut just as sharply through her heart. “Hey,” she pleaded, squeezing his hand tighter. “Oliver, you’re okay.” She rubbed her thumb back and forth against the back of his hand, wanting him to get away from whatever terrible thing he was seeing in his mind.

He just needed to wake up.

He just needed to look at her.

“I’m here,” she found herself saying as she held his hand between both of hers. “You’re safe, don’t worry. I’m here.”

She had no idea if she should try to wake him up or not. On one hand, she obviously wanted to pull him out of whatever nightmare he was experiencing, but she was also pretty sure that she’d heard somewhere that it was dangerous to startle someone awake when they were having a bad dream. 

Not knowing how else to help, Felicity slid closer, settling on holding his hand through it.

Oliver continued to whimper, his body shaking. And after a few seconds, he seemed to calm down.

She gently brushed her fingers through his hair, amazed when he let out a sigh and nestled closer.

It felt intimate.

But the man was asleep, and it seemed to be helping him. 

“You’re burning up…” she mumbled to herself, feeling the heat of his forehead as she stroked his hair. Her hand slid to Oliver’s cheek, noticing the sheen of sweat that covered his face and chest. And yet, he was still shivering.

Felicity swallowed, realizing how pale he was, too…

As she fussed over him and he began to lull out of his nightmare, she vaguely registered the sound of voices outside the door. She’d grown used to the guards that circulated in and out, along with the doctor, of course. But these voices were different.

Turning her head towards the door, Felicity kept still, listening closely as she moved her fingers through Oliver’s hair. After a few seconds, once he fell back into a peaceful sleep, she stood up and headed towards the door, pressing her ear against the stone.

Only then did she recognize the voices on the other side.

With a sigh, Felicity knocked on the door, knowing that the guards were under Al Sah-him’s orders to let her out of the room if she wanted to get out. No longer a prisoner, but now a guest. The guest of a powerful player in their society. And a guest who Ra’s al Ghul had decided not to kill. Yet.

The voices suddenly stopped as she waited. And then the door slid open, and Felicity raised her eyebrows at the two women before her. She’d recognized one of the voices as Ta-er al-Sahfer, but she was surprised to see that Nyssa al Ghul was standing there.

“How is he?” Ta-er al-Sahfer asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Nyssa shifted to stand beside Ta-er al-Sahfer, lifting her chin as they both waited for an answer.

Glancing over her shoulder and then back at them, Felicity shrugged. “He’s sleeping, but he feels like he might have a fever.”

Ta-er al-Sahfer nodded, gesturing towards the room while Felicity stood in the doorway, blocking their view of Oliver. “Can I come in? Check on him?”

It seemed strange. These people probably knew the man better than she did, but now that she knew his real name, it felt like she had a part of him that no one else here had. A piece of him, however small, that the League of Assassins didn’t know. Of course, it made her curious, wondering if that had been the case this whole time. Keeping her alive that first night. Letting her see his face. Making sure she was safe. He might still be a stranger, but Felicity couldn’t shake the feeling that she understood him. And more than that, that he  _ wanted  _ her to understand him.

After the last few days where Al Sah-him,  _ Oliver _ , had done so much to protect her...she just wanted to protect him back.

“Sure,” Felicity whispered, knowing that Ta-er al-Sahfer was only asking to be polite. They were the deadly assassins, after all. And this was their turf. If they wanted in, they’d get in. She dropped her arm, clearing the way for the two women.

Ta-er al-Sahfer smiled as she passed. Nyssa ignored her entirely.

And neither response surprised her.  _ Maybe she really was getting used to this place. _

Following them over to the bed, Felicity watched as Ta-er al-Sahfer leaned down and placed her hand on Oliver’s forehead. She grimaced, a worried look crossing her face as she glanced at Nyssa. “She’s right,” the woman mumbled. “He’s definitely feverish.”

Nyssa, unsurprisingly, kept her distance. “How does his wound look?” she sighed, seeming more annoyed that she was there at all than concerned for the man she was supposed to marry. Why they’d come, Felicity had no idea…

Ta-er al-Sahfer pulled the blanket back before carefully lifting the bandages that covered Oliver’s chest and shoulder. “Oh my god,” she gasped.

At the sound, Felicity instinctively stepped closer, and her heart sank into her stomach when she saw the damage. The area around his wounds were red and irritated, enflamed, and they looked painful as all hell. She winced, “Is that...an infection?”

“No,” Nyssa was the one who answered. “An infection would not capture him this quickly. This is something else.” She met Ta-er al-Sahfer’s eyes, the two of them sharing a look that Felicity apparently wasn’t privy to.

“Well,” Felicity huffed. “What is it?”

“Poison,” Ta-er al-Sahfer snarled. The woman seemed angrier than Felicity had seen her, a look in her eyes that reminded her who she was truly dealing with. She was a friend, but she was also a lethal assassin. “And I think we know who Al Sah-him encountered in the forest now.”

“My father will want to know right away,” Nyssa said, unaffected. “I will go...he can tell us what we shall do next.”

Ta-er al-Sahfer kept her eyes on Oliver, her hand sliding from his head to his cheek. Then she brushed her hand through his hair, the same way Felicity had been touching him moments before. 

It was a gesture that made Felicity’s heart sink for a different reason.

A  _ jealous  _ reason.

But she’d been talking to Ta-er al-Sahfer for a couple of days while they ate meals together, and the woman had never let on to...whatever  _ that  _ was.

_ Because what was that? _

_ First Nyssa says she’s marrying the guy, now Ta-er al-Sahfer is caressing his face? _

_ How many women did Al Sah-him have wrapped around his finger? _

“You know the only thing that can save him,” Ta-er al-Sahfer mumbled back to Nyssa. And Felicity shook her head, focusing on the other, more important issue at hand. 

“No,” Nyssa instantly shook her head. “That is not our call to make.”

“You know Ra’s will never allow him to…” Ta-er al-Sahfer cut herself off.

“I will speak to him,” Nyssa answered.

“Then go. I won’t watch him die,” the other woman growled.

Nyssa stepped closer, her eyes on fire as she grabbed Ta-er al-Sahfer’s arm and got her attention. “You will not disobey my father. If he will not save Al Sah-him, then you  _ can  _ watch him die. And you will.”

Felicity’s stomach was in knots with every harsh word the women threw at each other.

She wasn’t sure what to make of it, but she was too afraid to ask with so much tension. And when Nyssa might threaten to take out her tongue again. Luckily, Ta-er al-Sahfer yanked her arm out of Nyssa’s grasp, turning her attention back to Oliver, and the scarier of the two assassins took it as her cue to leave.

Poison wasn’t good. Poison was  _ never  _ good. 

Felicity stayed quiet until the door had closed behind Nyssa. Then she looked at Ta-er al-Sahfer and asked, “Is that all true?”

“Yes. Al Sah-him is dying.”

“Then what did you mean? What can save him?” 

“There’s something close to here,” the woman said slowly, starting to pace the room in front of Oliver’s bed. She seemed nervous, and Felicity was inclined to believe her simply because she had yet to see any these deadly ninjas look nervous. “A source of water,” she continued. “But only Ra’s has ever touched it. We’re forbidden, and if you ask me, it’s only because Ra’s fears that the power will be lost if someone else were to use it.”

Felicity stared at her newest friend, if they could really be called that...and quickly put the pieces together. How many magical water sources could there be around here?  _ She had to be talking about the waterfall.  _ “And it’ll save Ol— Al Sah-him? If we brought him there?”

“I don’t know,” Ta-er al-Sahfer huffed, putting her hands on her hips as her steps quickened. “But I fear it is his only hope to survive. We may not know the true nature of the water’s power, but we do know what an arrow from Prometheus will do.”

Letting out a shaky breath, Felicity looked at Oliver. “Kill him…”

The man who had risked everything to help her when he had no reason to want to.

The man who had protected her when he had everything to lose.

The man who, in that moment, Felicity could no longer deny her feelings for. 

Allowing him to die without trying to save him? Sitting back while he died, choosing not to help him the way he had helped her? It simply wasn’t an option.

“I know what you’re talking about. I’ve been there,” Felicity whispers. “You mean the waterfall, right? It’s water could save his life?” Surprisingly, that’s the least crazy thing she’s heard in a while. She didn’t even bat an eye at it.

“Yes…” Ta-er al-Sahfer answered slowly.

“Do you think that we could get to it? You and me, I mean…” 

The implication was clear. Leave before Nyssa came back with daddy dearest. Get the water. Save Oliver whether they had Ra’s al Ghul’s blessing. Ta-er al-Sahfer seemed to care about the dying man in front of them. But did she care enough to do that?

“I think we could.”

Felicity nodded once.  _ Decision made.  _ “Then let’s go.”

* * *

Never in her lifetime did Felicity Smoak expect to be running through the underground tunnels of a compound full of assassins. Ever since arriving in Nanda Parbat, she’s been thinking about leaving. But she didn’t imagine that it would be to save someone else rather than herself.

After everything Oliver had done for her, for keeping her alive in this strange place and being  _ nice  _ while doing it, Felicity was committed to the mission. She would do whatever it took to help him survive this time. 

The maze of hallways was just as confusing as ever, but Ta-er al-Sahfer knew her way through them just as well as Al Sah-him.

With someone leading the way, it was surprisingly easy to get out of the treacherous fortress.

But then again, worrying about people  _ getting out  _ wasn’t usually the problem for the league. They were much more focused on not  _ letting people in. _

It only took them a few minutes to sneak past the guards and make their way out of the compound, none of the others seemed to expect that Ta-er al-Sahfer was leading a prison break. So to speak.

As soon as their feet hit the sand and fresh air hit their faces, the assassin grabbed Felicity’s hand and ran, not slowing down for even a moment. “We need to get to high ground,” Ta-er al-Sahfer explained. “Out here, we’re sitting ducks in the sand.”

Felicity nodded, doing her best to keep up, but her feet weren’t as graceful and she knew that she was slowing the woman down. But still, the idea of any of those guards looking out at the desert and seeing them flee, it lit a fire under her ass to keep moving.

When they finally reached the tree line, the compound just a hazy shadow looming behind them, Felicity felt like she could breathe again. Her chest heaved with the effort, her lungs desperate for air.

“You did good,” her new friend beamed, not nearly as winded by all the running and fearing for their lives as Felicity was.

Still trying to catch her breath, Felicity turned towards the trees ahead of her, her eyes adjusting to the newfound darkness.

Nanda Parbat was one thing. A very scary, life-threatening thing. A deathtrap full of killers where she never would have survived for very long. 

Escape was what she’d always wanted.

And yet...the eerie silence of the dense forest posed a whole new threat. One that almost made Nanda Parbat feel warm and fuzzy. 

There was a feeling, a sense she had, that she wasn’t safe out there. It was as if she could feel something in the ground beneath her feet, something disastrous, a volcanic eruption just waiting to open the earth and swallow her whole.

Her instincts told her to run. But not to the waterfall she’d been so desperately trying to get to ever since she got to Nanda Parbat. No… 

Felicity felt an urge to run back the way she came. Back to the compound. Back to Oliver.

Fighting that instinct, Felicity moved further into the trees. “Come on. We have to move—” just as she walked through the treeline, something hard and strong struck her throat. She’d barely had a chance to catch her breath, and it was gone again. Felicity fell to her knees, her hands instantly grabbing her own throat, trying to ease the pain of the blow as she gasped for air.

And then she looked up and saw her assailant.

“Felicity!” She heard Ta-er al-Sahfer yell from somewhere behind her. 

But Felicity kept her eyes locked on the woman towering above. The woman who had wanted her dead all along. And this time, she might finally succeed. 

Nyssa. 

“I will not let you jeopardize my people any longer, Khayin.”

Ta-er al-Sahfer caught up to them before Nyssa could strike again, tackling the other woman to the ground. “Stop it, Nyssa!” She screamed, pinning her down while Felicity tried to calm down, at least enough so that she could breathe again. Because _...ow.  _

_ Add ‘throat-chopped by a ninja’ to the list of things she never thought she’d experience. And never wanted to experience again. _

“She is risking your life with this little endeavor to save my husband’s! That is not a trade I am willing to make, Sara!”

“It was  _ my  _ idea!” Ta-er al-Sahfer shouted back, slamming Nyssa’s wrists against the grounds when the woman started to struggle. “You know that Al Sah-him is important to me. I told you, I will not sit by while he dies! Felicity only offered to come with me!”

Nyssa grunted, turning the tables so quickly that Felicity didn’t even see how she did it. But suddenly, in a tussle of dark hair, Nyssa was on top of Ta-er al-Sahfer, and Felicity hurried to scramble away from them. If Nyssa knocked out her assassin buddy, she knew she’d be dead for sure.

It was always Nyssa.

She hated that Felicity was in Nanda Parbat. That she existed at all. She’d wanted her dead since the moment she laid eyes on her.

“You,” Felicity gasped, her eyes widening as she finally saw the obvious answer. The intruder in her room. “The other night, it was you,” she croaked, realizing that the only person bold enough to defy Al Sah-him, other than the demon’s head himself, would be his daughter. She’d seen it the last couple of days; even when Al Sah-him was unconscious, no one dared to lay a finger on her. Just as he had promised all along. “You tried to kill me!”

Nyssa whipped her head around, her eyes finding Felicity. “Three times now, Khayin. I will not fail a fourth.”

Using the distraction, Ta-er al-Sahfer attacked, launching Nyssa off of her and swinging her legs around until she had Nyssa’s head in a death grip between her thighs. She grabbed one of her arms, her breath heavy as she wrenched it backwards. Felicity winced as Nyssa cried out in pain. “Radius or humerus?” Ta-er al-Sahfer panted, yanking on the other assassin’s arm again. “Or do I need to break both to keep you from following us?”

Nyssa growled, not giving an answer.  _ Well, to be fair, Felicity probably wouldn’t know how to respond if someone asked her which bone she’d like to have broken, either. _

“Fine then,” Ta-er al-Sahfer shrugged, leaning in as if she would snap Nyssa’s arm, when the woman finally decided to talk.

“I am only trying to protect our home, Sara,” Nyssa explained. “Al Sah-him is smitten with the girl. And look at you! Even my father seems to have fallen under her spell. I am the only one who remembers how we keep our people safe!”

“She’s not a threat to our safety, Nyssa. You’d be wise to realize that it isn’t me, or Ra’s, or Al Sah-him who threaten Nanda Parbat. Maybe there’s a reason you’re the only one who can’t see the truth! You distrust everything that you don’t understand. And that hatred, Nyssa,  _ your  _ blindness, is what will end up getting people killed.”

Finally, the dark haired woman stopped resisting. The stoic look on her face broke into something else as Ta-er al-Sahfer held her down. Pain. Hurt. Felicity saw it for a fleeting moment, and then she was back to her expressionless norm. “Fine then,” Nyssa said, much more calm now. “Go ahead. You might as well break both of them.”

With a huff, Ta-er al-Sahfer released Nyssa. She tossed her arm down, without any sounds of snapping bones, and stood up. “Al Sah-him and Ra’s are in charge, Nyssa. And neither of them want this girl to bleed. Are you truly that stupid? Your father would kill you for this. Al Sah-him would…”

“I know,” Nyssa snarled, rising to her feet as well, brushing the dirt off her clothes. “It was a risk I was willing to take.”

“Well not anymore.”

The two women shared a look. “Come with us,” Ta-er al-Sahfer offered after a long moment. “We could use the help, and we need to stop wasting time since I’m guessing you’ve already informed Ra’s of our departure.”

“I did not tell my father anything. But it will not take them long to realize that Al Sah-him was hit by Prometheus. And once they notice that we are gone, they will not be far behind.”

Apparently, that was that. The two women began moving again, pushing into the forest. Felicity rose to her feet, stumbling after them. “Wait!” She shook her head. “That’s it? Nyssa tried to kill me, and now we’re bringing her with us!?”

Ta-er al-Sahfer shrugged, “If she tries again, I’ll stop her. But I do not think she’ll be trying that again any time soon.”

“Any time  _ soon _ ...” Felicity repeated in a whisper, letting out a laugh of disbelief. “You can’t be serious. I don’t trust her!”

“And I do not trust you, Khayin. So I suppose we are even.”

“Oh,” Felicity threw her hands up, “sure! You’ve tried to kill me three times, I’ve tried to kill you  _ zero  _ times! We’re so far from even, you lunatic!”

Stepping between Nyssa and Felicity, Ta-er al-Sahfer put her hands up, stopping them from getting any closer to each other. But clearly, Felicity wasn’t the one who had three attempted murders under her belt. “We need to deal with this later,” the woman pacified their tempers. “Right now, our focus is getting to the water and saving Al Sah-him. Everything else will wait.”

“Very well then,” Nyssa nodded, straightening her shoulders as she sized Felicity up. “Truce, Miss Smoak.”

_ Truce? _ She didn’t dare turn her back on this woman, and now they expected her to believe that she could rely on a  _ truce? _ But at the same time, what choice did she have? Clearly even Ra’s protection wasn’t enough to keep his psycho daughter away.

_ Al Sah-him, you have my blood that no harm will come to your stranger. _

Nyssa was his daughter. Felicity was a stranger...would he really kill his own daughter because of that promise? Would Nyssa slit her throat the first chance she had? How the hell was she supposed to know who she could trust?

“What does she want?” Nyssa cocked her head to the side, looking at Ta-er al-Sahfer for an answer. “I offered a truce.”

Ta-er al-Sahfer looked just as confused. “I...I think she wants you to apologize, maybe?”

Felicity rolled her eyes, shoving Ta-er al-Sahfer’s hand away. “Whatever. Let’s just get going.”

“Good,” Ta-er al-Sahfer straightened. “Come on, it’s this way.”

They walked for over an hour, aware of the passing time because the sky grew lighter and lighter as they moved. Eventually, they came to a clearing, a large cliff that overlooked the canyons Felicity had been admiring on the zenith that day with Al Sah-him. 

“This way,” Ta-er al-Sahfer said, slinking back towards the treeline.

But Nyssa shook her head. “No, the streams were leading west. We will find the waterfall if we follow them. It is this way.”

“Why can’t you ever just listen to me?” Ta-er al-Sahfer sighed, exasperated. “Just because you’ve spent your life inside the walls of Nanda Parbat doesn’t mean that you understand the land around it. In fact, I think it means the opposite.”

_ Oh, this was perfect. _

“Well,” Nyssa lifted her chin, “You are less equipped to navigate than I. At least I have seen maps.”

_ Great. So they were lost. _

“Surely, I have more experience in this terrain than you ever have. I’ve gone out on those missions to enforce the boundary and stop the Ninth Circle from breaching it.

Felicity glanced back and forth between the bickering women. And they were lecturing her earlier about wasting time? They didn’t know where they were. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes and tried to tune them out, to listen for the water instead.

Oliver could be dead by now. And if he wasn’t...she knew that he probably wouldn’t make it much longer.

She’d heard it that night with Ray...the sound of the water had woken her from a dead sleep and pulled her through the woods, into the water, and released her in a different time. It had called to her once before...

“You have barely trekked through this place,” she vaguely heard Nyssa arguing, her voice sounding farther away than it had just a moment before, “You blindly follow a cavalry and pray to make it back in one piece—”

“Shut up!” Felicity yelled, squeezing her eyes shut.

She could hear it.

Behind the voices, and the wind, and the birds, and the world...she could hear the water.

The buzzing.

“Khayin, did you just…” Nyssa gaped, appalled. “Tell me to ‘shut up’?”

Her body felt lighter, almost weightless, and everything else fell away.

When she opened her eyes again, Felicity’s chest was tight with fear. Because she’d felt this once before. The persistent hum that pricked her skin. And she felt certain that her feet would lead her exactly where she needed to go. The only difference this time, of course, was that she  _ wanted  _ to go. “It’s this way.”

For whatever reason, Nyssa and Ta-er al-Sahfer followed her. Whatever they saw in her eyes made them both shut up, too. And thank god for that. 

Felicity gave herself over to the instinct; the vibrations on the ground that urged her feet to move and the buzzing in her ears that grew louder as they came closer to reaching the waterfall. After a while, she heard Nyssa confirm that she was leading them in the right direction, muttering something under her breath about being able to hear the rushing water. But all Felicity could hear was the dull, familiar hum that had lulled her into a trance once before. It called to her again.

Eventually, when the sound was deafening, they pushed through the hanging branches and found the clearing. And with it, the waterfall. Just like the night it took her, Felicity could feel her feet moving forward, her skin burning with the compulsion to touch the water. To emerge and find the silence that she’d found before. The refreshing peace that sent the entire world away.

It could do it again.

_ It would. _

All she had to do was put her head under the water, and it would carry her somewhere else. Anywhere else. Maybe even  _ home. _

_ Oliver. _

Felicity forced her feet to stop, which was harder than it seemed, when it felt like the entire earth was nudging her to keep walking. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing that Nyssa and Ta-er al-Sahfer weren’t far behind, still letting her lead, but staring at her cautiously. “I can’t go any further,” she mumbled.

It might be her only chance to escape this place. The waterfall could be her only way out. But even as it called to her, inviting her to go, Felicity couldn’t bring herself to leave. 

Not without making sure Oliver was okay. Not without seeing to it that he survived.

She couldn’t return to her life if it meant never knowing what would happen to him.

And it was with that realization that Felicity was forced to confront the feelings that had been drawing her to him. A force that was almost as strong as the tug of the magical water.

No, not  _ almost  _ as strong. Her need to see Oliver again was  _ stronger _ than the compulsion of the waterfall. It kept her feet in place.

Seeing that Felicity meant what she said, that she wasn’t going to take one more step towards that spellbinding waterfall, Nyssa and Ta-er al-Sahfer stepped around her. Felicity watched as the two women walked slowly towards the roaring rapids, their eyes scanning the clearing. “Stay alert,” Nyssa instructed them both. “The Ninth Circle could still be lingering.”

As the two assassins reached the edge of the pool, Ta-er al-Sahfer pulled out a small vial from one of the hidden pockets in her robe, leaning down to fill it. As the woman’s fingers touched the surface, Felicity suddenly felt a shift in the air, a change in the wind’s direction, as if it had a mind of its own and had taken an interest in the strangers.

“Something’s wrong,” Felicity mumbled to herself. There was a piece of this that they weren’t seeing. It wasn’t just the air. Or the water. And it wasn’t a coincidence.

_ It was a warning. _

Her head snapped up, following the direction that the wind had turned. And it was up above, standing on a cliff overlooking them, that Felicity saw him. 

A man stood above them, watching them, dressed head to toe in black garments. His clothes looked similar to the ones the league wore, but there was a mask hiding his entire face, keeping even his eyes covered. Unlike the league...it made him seem more monster than man.

She watched him while he watched Nyssa and Ta-er al-Sahfer, but after a moment, his head slowly turned to look down at her instead. Felicity’s heart hammered in her chest, feeling more afraid in that moment than she had ever felt.

Everything inside of her was screaming that she needed to run. Either towards the water or into the trees, it didn’t matter. It was a different kind of instinct this time. A  _ survival  _ instinct. But a bigger part of her kept perfectly still, as if his attention kept her feet glued to the ground. As if taking her eyes off of him would be a fatal mistake.

Of course, the staring match couldn’t last forever. 

“Felicity! Get down!” Nyssa’s voice tore through the unnatural silence. 

All at once, she was being shoved to the ground, the rough weight of a body landing on top of her, and dark, black hair landing in her face. Felicity gasped as her back collided with the dirt, hearing the distinct sound of something whizzing right by her head. 

Just as quickly as she was taken down, she was being yanked back up. 

Nyssa dragged her towards the trees, with Ta-er al-Sahfer hot on their heels. Felicity realized that they were being shot at, that the sound was arrows...arrow after arrow flying around them, narrowly missing, chasing them off. And so the three ran as fast as they could, adrenaline and fear carrying them for as long as their bodies could manage. 

And when they finally had to stop, Felicity collapsed onto her knees, her hands landing on the ground in front of her as she heaved. She seriously felt like she might puke.

Lifting her lifted her head, Felicity glanced at Nyssa where she leaned against a nearby tree, her breaths ragged. Then she looked at Ta-er al-Sahfer, hovering right above her with both hands on her knees, just as breathless.

“What. The. Hell. Was.  _ That _ ?” Felicity wheezed, leaning back onto her feet. Her eyes darted around the forest, searching for any sign that the terrifying man had followed them.

Ta-er al-Sahfer dropped onto the ground next to her with a sigh. “Prometheus.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Answers, questions, and just a couple of name drops for clues! Even though poor Oliver is still unconscious and possibly dying, this chapter was super fun to write. I love the dynamic between these three ladies. Nyssa might have tried to kill Felicity, but she did save her at the end there! And of course, with all the madness Felicity has to process, there might be a couple things she didn't pick up on ;)  
> Let us know what you think!
> 
> Ellie: olicitysbett (twitter), smoaking-greenarrow (tumblr)  
> Caitlin: smoakqueenfam (twitter & tumblr)


	8. His Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUYS! We're officially halfway through this story! 😱 We honestly can't believe we've been writing this for almost eight months. All of your comments, kudos, quote tweets, replies, and notes on Tumblr feed our soul and muses. So from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!  
> This chapter is a long one. Probably the longest chapter I've written as a fic writer. It has ALOT of answers to many of your questions, a substantial amount of Olicity, and a cliffhanger that I know Ellie was itching to write the next chapter for. I can't WAIT to see all of your reactions! 😏  
> As always, thank you Magda for the amazing gifs! We're trying to use all of them since each one is so amazing! 😍
> 
> We hope you enjoy! ♥️  
> \-- xoxo, Caitlin

The trek back to Nanda Parbat had been far less eventful than what had happened while at the waterfall. 

It was done in silence, the women unsure of what to say after Prometheus’ attack. There were many unanswered questions swirling through Felicity’s brain regarding the spine chilling man dressed in all black standing atop the cliff. 

_What was his endgame?_

_Who exactly was he?_

_Where did he come from?_

_Why was he after them?_

_How did he know they were there?_

Five of the many questions that she had a feeling Nyssa and Ta-er al-Sahfer either didn’t _want_ to answer or _couldn’t_ answer, so she elected to keep her mouth shut and trudge on. 

Of course that didn’t mean she couldn’t answer those questions in her head without any form of reasoning. 

_His endgame was definitely to kill them and for them to never be seen again._

_He was another super terrifying, creepy ninja whose only goal was to put an arrow through their hearts._

_He came from a place of many other terrifyingly skilled ninjas who were also trying to put arrows in them._

_He was after them because he somehow knew she wasn’t from this era and thought she was a threat to whatever he had going on. Or maybe it was because he knew that she was under Oliver’s protection and was somehow growing to be more than just someone who he was protecting._

_He was definitely following them. He had to at least know of Nyssa and Ta-er al-Sahfer, that they were a part of the league._

_Way to think of the absolute worst possible scenarios here, Felicity._

After arriving back at the compound, Nyssa had gone her separate way leaving Ta-er al-Sahfer and Felicity alone to find their way back to Oliver’s room. They again did so in silence, Felicity following closely behind Ta-er al-Sahfer as they navigated through the dark corridors. Luckily, they didn’t run into anyone - the hallways remaining eerily silent with only the soft padding of their feet. 

Reaching the main hallway leading to Oliver’s room, she stopped - checking both ways, looking for any sign of movement. After a moment with the coast seemingly clear, they headed toward Oliver’s room. 

After a few moments, her companion came to a halt again, ducking into an alcove as she motioned for Felicity to follow her. 

Felicity locked eyes with her friend as she pulled the vial of what apparently was magical water, out of her pocket. 

“You need to make sure he drinks all of this, okay? It will take a few hours to take effect, so don’t be alarmed if you don’t see any immediate changes in him.”

Felicity nodded, taking the vial and slipping it into her pocket. “You’re not coming with me to see him?” 

Ta-er al-Sahfer shook her head, “I need to go deal with some things. I trust that you can handle this.”

Slipping out of the alcove, they made their way to Al Sah-him’s room where the two guards stood protectively. Ta-er al-Sahfer nodded to her as she continued to move past them, the guards stepping aside to let Felicity in the room. 

Shutting the door as quietly as she could, Felicity took a peek at Oliver. He lay exactly where she left him. Eyes shut, his breathing labored, sweat dripping down his cheek. Quickly grabbing a wet cloth by his bedside, she squeezed it, bringing it to his brow. 

“It’s going to be okay, Oliver. I’ve got you. I have what’s going to make you better.” She ran her fingers through his close cropped hair as she continued soothingly wiping his brow with the cloth. 

He let out a strangled noise, his pain evident. 

“Shh, it’s okay.” She set the cloth on the bedside table, pulling out the vial of water. 

Felicity stood there for a moment, deciding how exactly she was going to get him to swallow the water. Shaking her head, she reached around him, grabbing a pillow. She took the back of his head in her hand and lifted it gently, slipping the pillow underneath so his head was propped at the perfect angle. 

Twisting the lid off of the vial, she took a deep breath, “Okay, Oliver. Let’s get you better.” 

She opened his mouth slightly, lifting the vial to his lips and pouring it in little by little. Shushing him quietly, she could tell when the water hit the back of his throat - he began coughing, his whole body shaking. 

Felicity moved her thumb in slow circles across his forehead, his coughing fit subsiding enough for her to continue pouring the liquid down his throat. Pulling the vial away, she checked to make sure not a drop was left before setting it on the table. 

Very gently, she put her weight on the side of his bed, curling up next to him, her fingers still stroking his face. 

“Rest, Oliver. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

Resting her head on his shoulder, she finally let much needed sleep overcome her. 

* * *

A soft light hitting her eyes woke Felicity out of her deep slumber. 

She apparently hadn’t realized just how exhausted the last two days had made her. From hearing Al Sah-him was injured, to caring for him round the clock, to taking a surprising trip outside the compound with her new friend and sworn enemy and almost getting killed - quite a lot had happened with little to no sleep. 

Before she could open her eyes completely, a feather light touch danced across the skin of her cheek. She stilled, shifting ever so slightly toward the touch. A touch she knew wouldn’t harm her. A touch that she had thought about many times the last few days. 

She knew it was Oliver. 

Not daring to open her eyes yet, she nuzzled her nose into his chest, taking in his scent. For someone who had been laying injured in his bed for over two days plus however many days he’d gone without bathing prior, his smell was still the same. Just...him. 

She sighed, stretching out next to him, becoming more and more aware of the position she was in. Her eyes popped open, shifting up toward her protector.

Blue pools met her gaze. 

Wow. She couldn’t lie to herself. She’d missed the sight of them. 

“Hi.” she said, her voice still thick with sleep. “It’s good to see you awake.” 

Oliver’s lips stretched in a small smile, “It’s good to be awake.” He paused, adjusting his position a bit. “How long was I out? And when did I get back here? Wait, what exactly happened?” 

Felicity sat up, being careful not to jostle him too much. “Uhm, you’ve been unconscious for about three days, if my sense of time is right.” 

She sent him a small smile, as she rubbed her eyes, the blurriness fading a bit. “How are you feeling?” 

Oliver sighed, “A little stiff. My head aches, but other than that I feel okay.”

Felicity stilled as she heard Oliver’s words, memories flooding back to the previous day when she’d given him the magical water. “Do you mind if I…” she motioned toward his shirt while making a lifting motion. 

He nodded, curiosity crossing his face. She lifted the blankets gingerly, her eyes growing wide as his skin appeared. The infected stab wound was...gone. 

Poof. 

Disappeared. 

_Wow, that water really was magical after all._

How? How could a thing like water make something like _that_ disappear within hours? Of course she was thankful that Nyssa and Ta-er al-Sahfer had been correct, but god. 

Magical water. Who would have thought? 

_Well, that is how you came to be here, Felicity. Don’t act too surprised._

“Felicity, what’s the matter?” his worried voice brought her out of her thoughts. “You’ve been staring at my chest with this perplexed look on your face for quite a while now...” 

She shook her head, turning her gaze back to him. 

“I’m sorry, nothing is wrong. It’s just that your stab wound...it...disappeared.” 

His eyes grew as wide as hers, “That’s impossible. I remember being stabbed. There’s no way it could have just disappeared in the matter of days. Unless...” he trailed off, his gaze turning to hers. 

“Felicity...how did my stab wound disappear?”

She felt a small blush creep on to her cheeks, her eyes traveling to the vial that still sat on the bedside table. 

How would he react? Would he be angry? Knowing that the water was forbidden to anyone other than Ra’s made explaining this a little tricky. The probability of him being upset with her for going to retrieve it was highly likely. But he would understand, right? It’s not like she went by herself. She had her new friend and the woman who had attempted to kill her _three_ times with her as protection. 

Yet they still had been attacked by another creepy skilled ninja assassin. 

_It’ll be fine._

_She did it to save his life._

“Uhm, well...that arrow that you were shot with?” he nodded slowly, “It was laced with poison.”

Oliver sucked in a breath, turning to face her more directly. 

“You were going downhill quickly. The wound was completely infected, you were having shortness of breath, not to mention the chills and body shaking. It was really worrisome there for a while.”

His eyes shut for just a moment before opening them back up, “Okay, so...” he paused, motioning for her to continue. 

“So, Ta-er al-Sahfer and I hatched a plan.” she paused, taking a deep breath. “She told me about the healing water that Ra’s uses. She knew that it was the only thing that could save you. Both of us decided that it was our best chance for you to recover, so we went on a mission to find it.” Her fingers began threading the blanket near his hand, her eyes cast downward.

“Nyssa joined us too-”

“Wait. Nyssa who tried to kill you?” he interrupted, his heated gaze burning into the side of her head. 

“Actually, she tried to kill me three times. That attack before you left? Yeah, that was her. Then she tried to kill me before joining Ta-er al-Sahfer and I.” 

His eyes grew dark with what looked like rage, but she couldn’t be sure, “She did _what?!”_

_Oh yep, definitely rage._

“It’s okay, we kind of have a truce right now. She came with Ta-er al-Sahfer and I on our mission and everything was fine. She actually- you know what, I’m skipping ahead in the story. Just know that everything is fine...for now.” 

Oliver shifted, mumbling what she thought was “I hope it is for her sake.” but she couldn’t be sure. Shaking her head, she continued. 

“We made our way to the waterfall and gathered the water needed for your healing. Everything was fine until I felt things shift.” she stopped, breathing in deeply. “I looked up, and there was a man in all black standing atop the cliff watching us. I could tell that it wasn’t a member of the league. He was more terrifying than you guys, if that’s even possible.” 

A soft chuckle escaped him. 

“The next thing I knew Nyssa was yelling at me to get down and arrows were whizzing past our heads. Nyssa jumped on top of me, and then we were racing through the trees to get away.”

A sound that she could only describe as a growl escaped Oliver’s lip, his body shooting upright. His eyes roved over her body, clearly checking to see if there were any injuries. 

Placing a hand on his forearm, she smiled softly. “Hey, I’m fine. I just have a couple scratches from where Nyssa tackled me, but that’s it.” 

Oliver visibly relaxed, his back slowly hitting the pillows again. 

“You’re sure?”

Felicity nodded. “I’m sure.” she paused, rubbing his arm gently. “Ta-er al-Sahfer said that the man at the top of the cliff was named-”

“Prometheus.” he interrupted her. 

Felicity nodded again, “Yes. Prometheus.” 

She could tell that Oliver was having an internal battle with himself. Clearly this Prometheus character was a less than good guy, _obviously since he tried to kill them,_ but what exactly was he after? It was clear to her that Oliver was attempting to figure that out. 

“Who is he?”

Taking a deep breath, Oliver met her gaze.

“Prometheus is dangerous. He is the leader of the Ninth Circle.” he sighed, his blue eyes drilling into hers. “As well as Ra’s’ younger brother.”

Felicity gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. 

_Ra’s brother?_

_Well, that was a bomb she hadn’t been expecting._

Oliver quickly continued. “Before I was brought into the league, Ra’s brother was a part of it. His name was Adrian. He worked side by side with Ra’s, his right hand man, essentially. There was a point where the league didn’t think that Ra’s would make it much longer. Nyssa and her sister, Talia, were too young to take over the powerful job that position holds. So, Ra’s chose Adrian to take over for him when he was gone.” 

Felicity stared at him, continuing her gentle patterns along his forearm as she waited for him to go on. 

“Apparently, Adrian took that job title a little too seriously after Ra’s appointed him. In the coming months, he tried to take over all of Ra’s duties and responsibilities. Ra’s took note and after a while he had a discussion with him. Adrian didn’t take too kindly to that, telling him that he was going to be dead soon anyway. I don’t know the whole story, but things started to get a bit strange. Adrian would sneak away from the compound to have secret meetings with people, make comments to Ra’s that were quite disrespectful, and treat everyone in the league very rudely.” Oliver took a moment, rubbing his hands over his face. 

“Ra’s awoke one night to Adrian standing over him with a poisoned arrow positioned at his chest. Ra’s immediately sprung into action, fighting for his life against his brother. It wasn’t until the guards came in and grabbed Adrian that Ra’s was able to catch his breath. He exiled him immediately.”

Felicity knew that the look on her face was one of complete disbelief. “So you’re saying that he tried to kill his brother in order to get to the top faster?”

Oliver nodded, “Yes. Ever since then, Ra’s has been using the water from the waterfall to keep himself as young as possible. Because of that, he hasn’t aged much, his fighting skills have increased, and he’s stayed limber. He wasn’t going to let anyone get to him like the way Adrian did.”

She shook her head, questions swirling in her head. “So Adrian joined the Ninth Circle after Ra’s exiled him and started calling himself Prometheus? He had nowhere to go I’m sure, but how did he get in with them? And I’m assuming he’s after you now because you’re next in line?”

Oliver hummed, “Yes, that’s why he’s after me, and it’s why he came after the three of you last night, You all are connected to me. He hasn’t been able to kill me, so he went after the three women he knows mean something to me.” 

Felicity’s eyes sprang up to his. 

_The three women that mean something to him._

_Did he just admit she actually means something to him?_

_Oh boy._

“But there is one thing that you’re off about.” he paused, swiveling his eyes toward hers. “He actually created the Ninth Circle. We don’t know much about it, but we know he did it to spite Ra’s. And in the last decade or so, they’ve become more powerful than ever. We’ve been trying to see what he’s been up to for years now.”

Felicity inhaled, shaking her head. “Wow. That is...a lot of information to take in, Oliver.”

Before she knew it, her hand was covering her mouth, her eyes bulging. 

_Shit. Shit. Shit._

_She’d said his real name._

_She’d said his real name without thinking._

_She’d said his real name without telling him that he had revealed it to her in his injured, drugged out slumber._

_Frack._

Her gaze met his, taking in his face. He’d gone completely ashen, his mouth hanging open just a tad. 

“What did you call me?” he whispered, clearly unsure whether or not he’d heard her correctly.

Felicity’s face had done the opposite of Oliver’s, going beet red. “Uhm, I-” she began to panic. He’d taken the news of them going to the waterfall so much better than she thought he would, now she says something as stupid as actually using his first name? 

_Not your brightest move, Felicity._

“Okay, here’s the thing. After they brought you back to your room, I volunteered to take care of you. You were so out of it, I’m not even sure you knew I was here. I was talking to you, reassuring you that you were going to be okay. I called you Al Sah-him, and you very groggily told me that your name is Oliver.” She paused, searching his face for any kind of sign that he’d heard her. 

He closed his mouth, and had a bit of color coming back into his face. 

Felicity began again, “Now if you were just out of it and that’s not your name, I get it. People say crazy things when they’re drugged up and out of it. You should have seen me when I got my wisdom teeth removed. I was saying all sorts of random things that made absolutely no sense. Granted, sometimes I do that regardless, but still. Anyway, if that isn’t your name or you don’t want me to call you that, I’ll just stick with Al Sah-him. It’s a bit of a mouthful, but I’ll do it for you. Or maybe we can shorten it to Al? Although that doesn’t really match you or your personality. But neither does Al Sah-him, so I don’t know. It’s up to you I guess. Oh, maybe I can call you Alsah? It sounds kind of like Elsa, and we are _definitely_ not in Frozen. Oh sorry, you don’t even know what Frozen is. It's about-”

A warm hand on her cheek immediately stopped her babbling. “Felicity. It’s okay.” 

She released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She focused on the warm hand on her cheek, closing her eyes and leaning into it. 

“My name is Oliver Queen.” he whispered so quietly, Felicity wasn’t sure she’d actually heard him or whether she’d imagined it. 

Opening her eyes slowly, her gaze met his. 

“My name is Oliver Queen.” he repeated, louder this time, with more confidence. “I was born in America. A place called Starling City.”

Felicity blanched at that, gasping quietly. “ _I’m_ from Starling City…” she trailed off.

“Guess we missed each other 94 years too late, didn’t we?” he chuckled, rubbing his thumb gently across her cheek. It was like the coincidence barely phased him. Yet it was completely blowing her mind.

Felicity laughed, “Well, we’re here now, so maybe we didn’t?”

Oliver smiled for the first time since waking up, a soft smile, one she’s seen only directed toward her. 

“Would you like to know my story?” he asked hesitantly, his blue eyes searching her face. 

“Only if you want to tell me. I don’t want to pressure you into revealing information to me that you’re not ready for anyone to know. I barely know you and vice versa.”

“Really? Because I feel like you know me better after a couple weeks than anyone here knows me.” 

That statement caught Felicity off guard. 

_How?_

_Had he not told anyone anything about him?_

_What about Ra’s? Nyssa? Ta-er al-Sahfer?_

_How does she know him better than anyone else? She feels like she doesn’t know him at all. She feels like she doesn’t know even a tenth of the things she should or she wants to know._

_But that has to mean something if he’s going to tell her his story when he hasn’t told anyone else._

_That means something._

Smiling softly, she squeezed his forearm, “Tell me.” 

Oliver shifted on the bed, turning to face her completely. Taking a deep breath, he began.

“When I was a kid, my parents were wealthy. The type of wealthy where we had a mansion, a nice car, and even a boat. We didn’t want for anything. I was the type of kid that was rebellious, getting into trouble with everyone around me. I would drag my best friend, Tommy along for the ride. He of course was happy to partake, he sometimes was the one who led the way.” he stopped, chucking. 

“When I was 15 years old, my parents wanted to go on a summer boating trip. I did not want to go, so naturally I put up a fight. My parents finally agreed to let me stay with Tommy and his dad while they were gone. They left with my sister, Thea, and were supposed to be gone the duration of the summer.” he paused, taking her hand in his. 

Felicity squeezed his hand gently, nodding her head for him to continue. 

“About a month after they left, Tommy and I were outside doing some work at his dad’s house. A car pulled up and two strange men got out. They asked if I was Oliver Queen. The looks on their faces told me everything I needed to know.” 

Felicity began rubbing his forearm again, squeezing his hand tightly. The man looking back at her was not the same man who had been protecting her. 

No, his walls were down. Telling her about his life before the league was important to him. It meant something to _him._

“My parents and little sister died at sea. The wreckage of their boat was found floating in the North China Sea.” he paused, his eyes misting with unshed moisture. 

Felicity’s heart was absolutely breaking for him. Being a fifteen year old boy and having to deal with the loss of not just one person, but three? It had to be absolutely unimaginable. 

Continuing her gentle caress on his forearm, she nodded, letting him know that she was listening and she was here for him. 

“After the news had settled with me, Tommy’s dad, Malcolm took me in permanently. Tommy and I had always been like brothers. Moving in with them would make it like it was official for him. Malcolm was reluctant, but he did it. Within the next three years, I went from rebellious, to an absolute hellion. Attempting to cope with the loss of my family was next to impossible, so I did what made me feel better. I drank. I caused mischief. I was a complete mess. After a night of heavy drinking with Tommy that almost landed both of us in the morgue, Malcolm had had enough.” he exhaled, running his hand through his close cropped hair. 

“Malcolm told me that he was sending me to a place that would teach me what I needed to learn since he clearly couldn't help me, and my parents were gone. He said that he knew a man who would ‘teach me a lesson.’ It didn’t take me long to realize that he just didn’t want me to be his problem anymore. He could have just killed me. A kid with no parents? No one would have missed me. But maybe he didn’t have it in him, I don’t know… Anyway, Malcolm found a way to get rid of me for good that didn’t involve murder, so...” Oliver’s eyes drifted to hers.

“He sent me here.”

Felicity sighed, nodding her head in understanding. 

“For months, Ra’s made me endure rigorous training and brainwashing. He tried to wipe every particle of who Oliver Queen was and make me into something that he could control. Someone who could take over for him when he was gone. But what he didn’t know was that I was still me. I was still Oliver Queen. No matter what he put me through or what he said, would make me forget who I was and what I went through.”

With teary eyes, Felicity gazed up at him in wonderment.

This man who had been through _so much_ over the course of his young life, fought through hell to be the person he was today. The respect she had for him in that moment was overwhelming. 

“I’d like for you to call me Oliver.” his voice was quiet, at a level just above a whisper. “You must call me Al Sah-him when we’re outside this room or among others, but in private, I’d like for you to call me by my true name.”

Felicity’s eyes lifted to the man in front of her and she smiled. “Of course, Oliver.” she squeezed his hand. “I mean, let’s be honest here. It’s a hell of a lot easier to say than ‘Al Sah-him’, no offense.”

Oliver laughed wholeheartedly at that, his head tipping back to the pillow. A true belly laugh, something she had never really heard from him before. 

“Touché. But in my defense, I didn’t pick it. It was given to me by Ra’s. You can’t hold it against me.” he chuckled. 

“I’m not! I’m just saying that it’s quite the mouthful.” she laughed, scooting a little closer to him on the bed. 

With their laughter dying off, Felicity sighed. “In all seriousness, I want to thank you. You didn’t have to share everything that you did with me today. You could have kept it to yourself and left me, a total stranger, in the dark. It means so much to me that you opened up to me instead.” 

Oliver’s eyes drifted across her face before locking with hers. “Honestly, Felicity? You are _anything_ but a total stranger. When I said that you know me better than anyone here does, I wasn’t joking.” he paused, searching her face. 

“No one here sees me the way you do, because I don’t _let_ them. They don’t see me laugh or joke. They don’t know my story. They don’t really know anything about who I truly am.”

Felicity cast her eyes down, biting her lip as she concentrated on their linked hands. 

“You,” he lifted her chin with his index finger, his eyes boring into hers, “Make me want to be better. To show you exactly who I am. There’s just something about you.” 

Felicity felt as if she had been stripped of oxygen. 

_This man. Wow. This man was something else._

When had this feeling taken over? This feeling of complete and utter amazement. What was it about him that made her feel so empowered? Or important? 

_This man was going to change her life._

Or maybe he’d been changing her life since she met him and she just didn’t realize it. 

Either way, something had shifted between them. Something was continuing to shift between them.

“Can I ask you something?”

Felicity nodded. 

“You went to the waterfall. That was your chance to dive in and go back home.” Oliver paused, his eyes roaming her face. “Why didn’t you?”

Felicity exhaled, her eyes locking with his. “Honestly? I wanted to make sure you were okay. I didn’t want to leave here not knowing if you were going to survive.” 

She paused, knowing the next words out of her mouth were probably going to shift things between them. 

“You mean something to me too, Oliver.”

The smile on his face said it all. She smiled back, her fingers fidgeting with the blanket they were both lying underneath. 

It was true. These last few weeks had stirred up something in her. Feelings she didn’t know if she wanted, but weren’t completely unwelcome. Getting to know Oliver had been the thing that saved her everyday. His constant presence was an anchor for her in this insane world she’d stepped into. 

_She was so thankful for him._

Felicity pulled herself out of her thoughts just in time to see his eyes drift toward her lips. They stayed there for a moment before his eyes lingered back up to hers. His face was getting dangerously close to hers as she closed her eyes. She could feel his breath against her face, a whisper of a kiss just within their reach. 

But then, he moved their linked hands and a bucket of cold water rained down on her. 

_Her engagement ring._

Jumping up from the bed, she stumbled quickly away. “I’ve got to...I’m gonna just…” she motioned toward the bathroom, before running in and slamming the door behind her. 

_Frack._

_What had she gotten herself into?_

Taking a moment to breathe, she ran her hands over her face. There were a lot of feelings happening that she truly hadn’t anticipated. 

A month ago she was backpacking around the Hindu Kush mountains with Ray, _her fiancé._

Then before she knew it, she entered the world of magical waterfalls, insane ninjas, a daughter of a demon who was trying to kill her at every turn, and a handsome protector who she was naturally starting to have feelings for and who would do anything in his power to make sure she was safe. 

_This was all getting to be too much._

Her mind drifted back to Ray. He had to be out of his mind with worry, scared that she was hurt or god forbid, dead somewhere. 

_What did these feelings for Oliver mean in regards to her relationship with Ray?_

_She shouldn’t even be having these feelings, right?_

_Ray was her fiancé._

_Ray was who she was fighting to get back to._

_Or was he?_

_Did she even want to return to her time?_

_Of course you do, Felicity!_

_Her life is there._

_But could she build a life here with Oliver?_

Shaking those thoughts from her head, she moved to the sink.

She splashed some water on her face, her face that was clearly still beet red from her encounter with Oliver. There was something about that man that just...did things to her. 

_It was the eyes. She was sure of it._

Shutting the sink off, she grabbed the cloth to dry her face off, patting it lightly as she sighed deeply. She moved to the door, pressing her ear up against it in hopes that she would be met with silence. Maybe that meant Oliver fell back to sleep and she could process everything without his blue pools of gorgeousness watching over her intently. 

Instead of silence, she heard two voices. She assumed one was Oliver’s, and the other she couldn’t quite pinpoint. Pressing her head harder against the door, she strained to hear what was being said. 

_She shouldn’t be listening, but what did she have to lose?_

“I do not know why Al-Sah-him, but they were orders straight from Ra’s.” 

“I am still injured. I do not think it is time for that.”

“If you would like, I will ask Ra’s to come and speak with you, but I do not think the Demon’s Head will change his mind.”

“Don’t worry, I will attempt to change it for him. Thank you, Sarab.”

Felicity’s eyebrows furrowed, her eyes narrowing. What could Sarab have told Oliver? Clearly it was something that Oliver wasn’t too pleased with. 

As soon as she heard the door to the room shut, she opened the bathroom door and peeked out. 

Oliver still lay where she left him, clearly deep in thought. His eyes were cast down, his body tense. She cleared her throat and took a step into the room. 

“Is everything alright?” she asked, stepping closer to him. 

Oliver shook his head, locking eyes with her. “No, Felicity. It is not.” 

She took that opportunity to step into his personal space. Without hesitation, she grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. 

“Whatever it is, I’m sure we can figure out a solution. What did Sarab tell you?”

He took a deep breath, squeezing her hand back, his eyes still locked with hers. 

“I am to marry Nyssa tomorrow.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well?! How do y'all feel?! That Prometheus/Ra's connection? Oliver's story? That almost kiss? A WEDDING?! Oof, so much to digest! 
> 
> Let us know what you think ♥️
> 
> Caitlin: smoakqueenfam (Twitter & Tumblr)  
> Ellie: olicitysbett (twitter), smoaking-greenarrow (Tumblr)


End file.
